Israel alone can't be blamed for row with Turkey

I have been in Istanbul many times.I also went to a shopping center in Istanbul. That you see some women who cover their heads doesn't mean that Turkey is not secular!! It is normal because Istanbul is cosmopolite (15million people live)not like Iran or Saudi Arabia. You can drink alcohol or do whatever you do in EU or USA in Turkey. That's why EU accepted candidacy of Turkey for being a member of EU!You see how you want see.Be realistic!

this is the error. Power of diplomacy, vs diplomacy of power...these two differ. Diplomacy is not about using, abusing, or showing off power. Power is only ONE of the tools in diplomacy, and generally the last resort. If power is the only element, then why do we need politicians, or even diplomats at all? let every country be ruled by generals. Diplomacy is more about building trust, getting your word accross without forgetting that you might need them in bad times. I cannot say Jewish cant produce good diplomats. They have always been in high ranks of the Ottoman court. But thats because when they arrived from Spain, we did not place them into gettos, and did not treat them as second class citizens. They raised in a system based on merit. On what system did Ayalon raise to his post? And talking about comparison of power of two nations. This is not the point of our conversation.

Before you blame all the world's problems on Israel and the Jews, why don't you evacuate all you lands first and return them to the Native Americans.You clearly have doudle standards. You live under the childish illusion that Israel needs your permission to defend itself from external threats. Think again, study your history and don't forget your nazi badge.

Fortunately there are some clever politics in Israel like Mr.Perez has intervened to solve the problem.Turkey is very important alie for Israel and Turkish people is nothing to do with antisemitism, Many thanks to Mr.Shimon PEREZ

israel has to act responsibly and jews must get rid off these cowboys invading the foreign office. Erdogan's recklesness is not helping the situation but things need to be handled better than this.

If Israeli or as you stated Jewish diplomacy was so much immature and did not have a tradition of forming ties with other nations why did the Turkish government use the Turkish Jews (Jak Kamhi Silvio Ovadia, Uzeyir Garih and many others) to persuade the Jewish lobby in USA and the Israeli government to intervene on behalf of Turkey to persuade USA in removing the arms embargo that was imposed on Turkey after the Cyprus invasion. After all Turkey has a long Ottoman history right? How come this long Turkish tradition of nation building and diplomacy is not as powerful as this small (I know what you have in mind is not the word small BTW) 60 year old state of Israel and yet Turkey uses Israel every year in April to persuade USA administration to veto the Armenian Genocide bill? Just think about it.

Well, Nobody seems to realize that the enmity now being created between Isreal ann Turkey is part of an ongoing scenario in which Turkey in partnership with USA, assumes the leadership role in Greater Middle East. You know this is a project. I think israili and turkish officers are both laughing and they change the regional balance of power being totally aware that this is all theatral.

Stop doing thinks or talking on TV's. Turkish Prime minister is angry as after his talks Israel attach Gazze. Now it should be time to have two prime minister to meet somewhere and talk private all problems. We dont have any problem with Israel as Turkish people and we dont like problems. Peace can only be achieved in Middle East if Turkey and Israel have good relations. Lets get rid of visa between nations and let people know each other more.

If Erdogan complains about Israeli policies far too much, can't Israel simply complain about Turkish TV programming? Why do they have to bring in the ambassador and humiliate him? That's just absurd. And it's unprofessional and unbecoming for an official representing the Israeli government to do such a thing. And what does this have to do with Obama?

I think this action only shows the inexperience of jewish diplomacy, since they do not have tradition of having a state, let alone tradition for forming ties with others. On the other hand turkish has this tradition for quite a long time, even before turkey existed. I do not agree on turkey being a failure for Obama(even though personally I do not approve western colonialism) - I find this article rather manipulative - as though trying to tell the US: "hey - between turkey and israel, pick us, because they don't like you". As far as the Iranian - Turkish relations go, we have the world's oldest withstanding border treaty with them. How many governments came and went, but treaty remains. So it is unthinkable that Turkey will become enemies with Iran.

I only see one person being humiliated here and that person is Mr. Ayalon humiliating himself.. We can send him a bigger chair if he thinks it'll relieve his complex

Why do Israelis and Jews assume blame. The Turkish government is moving toward the islamic camp. They have been hostile towards the EU,understandably, towards the US denying fly over rights during the Iraq war etc. They are moving towards Iran because they have no faith in the west and the present gov't is islamic based

ok

Not only does the current Israeli government never miss a chance to cut off her own nose, no she also considers it to be the fine art of plastic surgery! Hilarious ...

It seems ridiculous to blame Obama for the miscalculations of Bush and conservative Israel. Obama is simply trying to plug holes in a dam that Bush and Bibby have critically damaged. At the moment Israel is compromising the future for short term gains. What is happening right now is a result of that. IE the costs of the long term are catching up with Israel. If Israel continues with its short sighted policies more problems are ahead for her.

1. You are saying that Israel should respect international agreements. OK they will do that as soon as Turkey respects them also and pulls out all its military from Cyprus,let the Greek inhabitants of Famagusta (Magosa) return to their homes, and now that Armenian parliament ratified the protocol to open the borders with Turkey, Turkish TBMM also should do the same and immediately open the border. Oh don't forget to open the Heybeli Ada Orthodox school also. 2. When you say Turkey 72 million plus the Turkik republics over 100 million versus 3 million (Actually 5 but does not matter) what are you insinuating? Are you having some plans to attack Israel?

Are you proud with Lieberman and Ayalon theather.It is only comedy. Yes we did not proud with Erdogan ''one man show''in Davos last year. The world and the balances in middle east are changing.Turkey is a deep civilization and you believed Israel is same.We have to solve the problem with our brain not nationalist sense.

And now? Who has now exactly gained what? I as a Turk am fed up with reading about this Israel/Turkey "Kasperle-Theater". The person who has ben humiliated is not a "normal" person, he is the official envoy of the Republic of Turkey in the Republic of Israel! Humiliations done to him are done to Turkey in a whole. So again my question, who has now gained what? A word to the press. In my opinion part of the problem is the press, reporting and exagerating things in both countries. Unfortunately such things are spreading within minutes over the Internet and I am sure I will see this news even here in German TV. I am sick of this not ending quarell and of incompetent paid politicians (in both countries, although the incompetent Israelis are not my business as I am not paying their vages) I believe that the harm that been done now can not be repaired for the next 30 years. Regards

There was a time when Turkish foreign affairs were managed by a seasoned diplomat like Ismail Cem. I am hoping that enlightened Turks like you will vote the ultra Islamist out and bring back a new leadership with common sense.

Israel is indeed much more democratic then Turkey. In Israeli Knesset there are elected Muslims/Arabs. How many Jewish or Christians are in the TBMM? Zero right? How many none Muslims are officers in the Turkish military or employed in a high position in any ministry or similar places? Zero. Recently an Armenian fulfilled all the qualifications for a high post but so far he has not been given the post. You can openly criticize Israel in this Israeli paper. In Turkey the Dogan Media has been fined unfairly 5 Billion (Billion with a B) dollars for being critical of AKP and Erdogan. I can go on an on but I would need an entire page. But don?t worry about Israel?s relations with the west. Remember it was the Israeli help and the Jewish lobbies that persuaded USA to stop the arms embargo to Turkey imposed after 5the 1974 Cyprus invasion

It s clear that Israeli authorities feel uneasy about turkey's reactions regarding israeli invasion and agression in Lebanon and Palestine. There is only one way to solve that problem: Israel should respect international agreements and its neighbours' borders otherwise the problem can not be solved with stupid acts of Lieberman's crew. Because when u insult the turks as general u should not forget that u are not only talk about 72 millions people living in turkey but more than 100 million people living in Azarbaijan, kazakhistan, Turkmenistan, Krghystan and Uzbekhstan. Size does matter for 3 million İsrailis.

the results of appeasement -- former allies turn away. why would they be allies if they can get better results as adversaries?

Natalie - i really dont think Turkey has much of a right to talk about massacres. They did get away with the Armenian one, and random issues with Kurds. Then again... neither does America anymore.

Israel is very wrong to do, Turkey is a great country, Turkey since Ottoman is next to the oppressed people, please respect.

There simply is no getting around that and the anti-semitism card is simply not working here. Israeli behaviour is the cause and I suggest you look to that for blame.

Dejected by European Community (Especially Republican France which object certain ostentory religious apparats), unable to get from USA, even under Obama, complete clearance of the Turkish Genocide ofthe Armenians (under Erdogan, the matter has became for him at any rate National policy),Turkey is now getting involved in the THIRD CYCLE=Arabo-Islamic domaine. Unfortunately for Erdogan and his nation whose majority consideres itself as far more superior to the Arabs, and of course the Empathy of various Kurds nationalities, whether in Syria, Iran or Irak; here is the fundamental obstacles for Turkey. But Erdogan and his Pro-Islamic Party isn't there for ever, though his latest moves and conduct might have been motivated by the future elections, the Polls are showing disatisfaction with the current Turkish administration: less Tourists from all over, the economy suffers. So, lets cool off the frictions between

Turkey is secular? Are you living there, I wonder... Turkey is slipping to fundamentalism very rapidly. Go to a shopping mall in Istanbul and see the the people. You will not be able to say if it is Saudi Arabia or Iran. Turkey, a country where no one reads a single book during his entire life. Turkey, which has a rich history of genocides, massacers, discrimination and theocracy ( did you know that the Ottoman empire was a theocracy? ). The sultans were quite ruthless... killing all their brothers. Turkey, where the culture of individuals is a gathering of false garbage supplied by a totally corrupt media. Turkey, where corruption is everywhere... even the government! Now go on laughing dear friend. There is a Turkish saying which goes approximately like that : "We usually laugh where we should cry"...

Lieberman is a low life. Even at that his conduct was more distasteful than normal. Turkey should withdraw its ambassador rather then play the chimp?s game. And for reasons already identified Turkey is turning East as a muslim country of its stature should. Interesting though. A new dynamic is unfolding much to the detriment of the jew State.

Turkey is a large country, with a huge army. The Turks never took well to losing their thousand year empire, and before that the Byzantine empire. It is less than one hundred years ago when the Turks controlled and occupied much of the middle east, from Iraq to the deserts of Egypt, the Turks ran a festering and diseased empire. They built railraods, cut down the forests and populated much of the region. In WWI they sided with the Germans and lost their empire to the Brits and the French. The US kept out of the fracas. Endrogen sees the negative of the Atta Turk dream. He sees his country as being well positioned for the next century. The first steps in building an empire is too get rid of the opposition, thus the massive attacks on the Kurdish population within its borders as well as border incursions into Syria and Iraq. It will take time, an empire is not built in a day, but Turkey has decided to be the Sunni opposition to the Shiite Iran.

israen needs turkey so it shodunt act with its ego.israle has made many mistakes so still it shodunt do more mistakes to make this relationship worse

Erdogan is the most pro-israelli politician Turkey has produced. You keep focusing on the past 12 months of relations but ignore the earlier 7 years of Erdogan "very"Pro-Israel policies. Grow up and take responsibility, this break in the relationship is of Israel's making, and what's ensuing now is a immature spitting match. Lieberman / Anyon just showed they can spit quite far indeed.

This is hilarious. Turkish PM does not target you because of your ethnicity or your religion at all. He only criticizes your policy against Palestinians and other neighbor countries. It is not antisemitism or anything like that. However, what your minister's attitude against Turkish ambassador and Israel ministry of foreign affairs that we cannot criticize them because of we being Turks! It is just outrages and plain racism! Moreover, Israel is not the representative of democracy, nor does it represent the West itself. Israel is another theocracy in the region unlike secular and democratic Turkey. Bare in mind, many western and democratic countries condemn Israeli policies! The policy Turkey follows is very humanitarian, and we do not support other neighbor countries because they are Muslims (we could not care less about their religious beliefs) but because we think Israeli policies are very wrong. It is up to you to decide, if you truly wish to be isolated in the region or not.

Will the Schockens tolerate such dereliction of anti-Israel duties?

Israel should make peace with its neighbors. The status quo is unstainable and America is loosing patience.

Sir, Mr. Erdogan has bben lashing at Israel to satisfy his core constituency of the Islamists in Turkey.The Islamists are a small percentage of the population but well organized, well funded and they were instrumental in bringing Mr. Erdogan to power. Sincerely, A. Karamemetoglu

I think Mr. Erdogan's islamist rhetoric should be an eye-opener. As an devout islamist he cannot help but side with the islamisr causes. So far for the moderate Islam! Ismail Firincioglu

People in glass houses - How can Turkey preach to anyone about war or atrocities. Let's revisit Turkeys recent past. Let's have a few documentaries on TV and remind everybody about the Armenian holocaust.

Turkey is a backwarded Muslim country alike those on its eastern borders. Without the US it will never enter the EU nor will it be protected in the future if Russia starts roaring again. The US and Israel are dynamic modern democracies while Turkey just becomes more and more Muslim backwarded. Read UN development reports and it is clear Islam in the current format does not go hand in hand with progress and development. Simple but true so Turkey should decide does it want progress or backwardednesss.

Build walls and fences north, east and south to keep the barbarians and low casts out. Poke your finger in the eyes of both foes and the few friends you may still have. Make sure your top diplomat is persona non grata in most parts of the world. Wage war on those you are obliged to protect, ensuring your leaders get arrested should they dare to travel to foreign lands. (By air - it's soon the only way out of your splendid isolation).

So no surprise with their change of attitude against Israel.Many years we went with our yacht to Turkey and observed this change. Don't want to visit there anymore and nor should other Israelis.Let the Turks feel lack of tourism.

The Aremenian genocide has been swept under the rug for too long. Israel should make a series about the turkish brutality and systematic murder of over 1 million people.

B: "What is the point of this article?" Isn't it obvious? The Israeli Foreign Minister went out of his way to be thuggish towards an important Middle East country, and was annoyed that nobody noticed. So he bashes Ol' Aluf's ear to get the story out there i.e. Look at how Mighty Lieberman is being so Tough To The Turks! Lieberman simply can't make do with "subtle", and that meant he needed to find a shill to shout his message for him. Step up to the dias, Aluf Benn.....

Turkey's prime minister might have a leg to stand on if he wasn't spending the past year cosying up to mass murderers like Sudan's Bashir, and hosting HAMAS and Hizballah's leaders. Edrogan shows himself as nothing more than a Jew-hating Islamist with a title. If Turkey wants to reject its western allies, that's its choice, but no one should hold up its stand as moral and ethical, when all we're seeing is little more than a self-interested political shift by its right-wing leaders.

its image. (1)It destroyed Gaza, is preventing its reconstruction, and is making life miserable to 1.5 million Palestinians, (2) Is conducting ethnic cleansing of East Jerusalem, (3) Expanding its illegal settlements in the West Bank, (4)Citing a freeze on settlements and follows by relaxng the freeze and promises to immediately start construction after the freeze, (5)Publically humiliates the Turkish ambassador, etc. etc. Is this what Israelis want to be and are proud of?

I saw the channel 2 news yesterday of the staged humiliation of the Turkish Ambassador. I hate what Turkey is orchestrating against Israel via the smug and oily Edrogen. Rightfully so, Israel and Israelis themselves should avoid anything Turkish. The Turkish TV series being produced is a hideous modern day blood libel. But Ayalon and Leiberman's tactic of humiliating and bullying the ambassador was primitive at its best and does little to help us in the world community. That stunt on the news was just bizzare. Definitely not taking the high-road and certainly not handled diplomatically. It's time for Bibi to show a little spine and say goodbye to Leiberman and Ayalon

No one should ever criticize Israel? Humiliating foreign leaders who do so is fun? It is all Obama's fault? Aluf Benn - when you write an article you should have a salient point to make.

One only needs to read turkish media and listen to the turkish politicians to realize that Turkey is lost forever for the west and is part of the islamo-fashist alliance of Iran and Syria. The resent threat from erdogan for Israel (the earthquake) show how strong the support for iranians is.

I fail to understand when anyone criticizes israel, it is deemed as anti-semitic. I know truth hurts, but Israel needs to own up to the failings. I think using such a label is taking undue advantage of the word as well as showing very little respect to the all those who endured pain and suffering under the nazi era. I have so much respect for Israeli left and academia, and they need to make sure that this word is not mis-used.

What nerve! Still, Israel got away with something that no other nation could have done. Better to be thankful that criticism from Turkey is the only fallout!

Only a matter of time before Israel is totally isolated

Is it news that no one outside of Israel likes Netanyahu and Lieberman? Is it news that no one outside of Israel felt anything but disgust for Cast Lead (stop rockets at any human or moral cost)? Is it news that Israel's stockpile of nuclear weapons makes it awkward to point the finger at Iran? Is it news that Moslems hate Jews, that anti-Jewish material is found all over the Moslem holy books? Is it news that if one chooses to live in the ME, then life must incorporate the ability to live with Moslems? Is it news that if Israel has diplomatic relations with only three regional Moslem nations, that Israel should use these relations to peacefully further its security rather than crudely insult one of them?

Look at the whole world situation dispassionately. There is only one issue that Israel needs to solve. Hanging clothes out to dry in the rain is a waste of time.

have you forgotten that it was the EU that turned it's back on Turkey and started it's gradual move back to the moslem camp. This has nothing to do woth israel.