Complicated relationship among Ankara, Damascus and Jerusalem - Haaretz

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Tue., September 11, 2007 Elul 28, 5767

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Complicated relationship among Ankara, Damascus and Jerusalem

By Yoav Stern

The three-way diplomatic liaison that binds Ankara, Damascus and Jerusalem is a very sensitive matter indeed. Last week's alleged aerial incursion by Israeli warplanes that reportedly penetrated into Syria through Turkish airspace just served to make things more complicated.

Moreover, the incident heightened all the preexisting tensions among all three partners. Dr. Alon Liel, the Foreign Ministry's former director general, is an expert on Turkey. He believes that while Ankara's relationship with Israel is subject to increasing tensions, the Turks and Syrians are undergoing a gradual rapprochement.

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According to Liel, the Anti-Defamation League's recent announcement that it now regarded the events of 1915 - in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were massacred - as genocide perpetrated by the Turks did not help matters. For the Turks, the statement was cause for much anger and heated resentment.

Many in Israel, meanwhile, view Turkey's recent political developments with concern. The religiously-affiliated Islamic Justice and Development Party (AKP), which is Turkey's ruling party, is gaining increasing traction among Turks, and its popularity is an all-time high. The statements by Ankara's foreign minister, Ali Babacan, who demanded an explanation from Israel over it alleged use of Turkish airspace to strike in Syria, demonstrated Turkey's resentment regarding the incident. Liel argues that Israel should take extra care not to damage its relationship with Turkey.

"We can stay silent when it comes to Syria, we don't owe them explanations," said Liel. "But we do owe the Turks plenty of explanations."

However, irrespective of the government's discontent with Israeli actions, the Turkish army - which is does not share any aspiration of compounding Turkey's Islamic national identity - maintains warm relations with Israel. The two armies undergo joint training. Turkey's trade relations with Israel are also in good shape.

Additionally, Turkey has recently been reported mediating between Syria in Israel in an attempt to jump-start negotiations between Jerusalem and Damascus.

Turkey's relationship with Syria, meanwhile, has only improved in recent years, since Syria stopped supporting the PKK, a militant group fighting for the creation of an independent socialist Kurdish state on Turkish territory.

"Syria and Turkey have started mutual visits by senior diplomats, and have begun cooperating on security-related matters," Liel said.

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