By
Zvi Bar'el ( haaretz )
Turkey has refused to allow Israel to participate in a NATO
conference set to take place in Chicago on May 20, because the Israel
has not apologized for the 2010 killing of Turkish activists in a raid
on a ship taking aid to Palestinians, a Turkish official said on Monday.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
commented on the possible Israeli presence at the conference. “There
will be no Israeli presence at the NATO meeting unless they issue a
formal apology and pay compensation for the Turkish citizens their
commandos killed in international waters,” said Davutoglu last week at a
NATO conference in Brussels, according to the Turkish newspaper
Hurriyet Daily News.
Turkish opposition is similar to a veto, and is binding for all NATO
member nations. Many member nations, including France, the U.S., as
well as Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secratary General, demanded that Turkey
reverse its position on Israeli participation in the conference, and
even threatened to oppose the participation of Egypt, Morocoo,
Mauritania, and Algiera, other non-member nations invited to take part
in the NATO “Mediterranan Dialogue” group.
Turkey, however, abrogated any possibility
of a reversing its stance on the issue. “The army of a country which you
call a partner killed our citizens with a political order given by its
administration. We do not call this kind of country a partner,” said
Davutoglu.
“I promise that Turkey will be the first
to defend citizens of NATO countries in any similar situation. I believe
in the principle of solidarity among NATO member nations much more than
the principle of discrimination, practiced by some of you,” Davutoglu
fired back at his critics.
This is not the first time Turkey has acted
against Israeli participation with NATO. Take for example the Turkish
opposition to the Israeli request to participate in the Mediterranan
Dialogue group, affiliated with NATO, in Brussels.
Turkey also vetoed Israeli participation in
the yearly “Active Endeavor” naval maneuver, in which four naval
vessels from four different, non-member nations participate.
Turkey has also stated that Israel will not
receive any information from NATO radar systems installed in Turkey,
meant to provide warning of an Iranian missile attack.
Next month will mark two years since the
Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara, which lead to the unprecedented
decline in relations between Israel and Turkey. Efforts to assuage the
conflict, including the UN investigation, which suggested that Israel
apologize and compensate victim’s families, have not made any changes in
the Israeli stance on the issue.
According to Turkish sources, the two sides
reached an agreement on the wording of an apology and payment of
reparations, however due to political pressure in Israel, especially
from Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Israel decided to call off the
deal. Last year, U.S. President Barack Obama pressured Turkey to reach
an understanding with Israel, but Turkey stated that without an
official, public apology, no progress can be made.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria
Nuland commented on the poor relations between the two countries. "For
quite some time now we have been continuing to talk to both our ally
Turkey and our ally Israel about the relationship that they have with
each other to encourage them to continue to get back to a place where
they can have conversation with each other,” said Nuland.
Commenting on the Chicago summit, Nuland
added, “With regard to arrangements for the NATO summit and partnership
events, as you know, Israel is one of NATO's partners in the
Mediterranean dialogue. Those discussions are continuing as we head
towards the May summit in Chicago.”
Meanwhile, Turkish international political
standing has improved, due largely to Turkish opposition to the rule of
Bashar Assad in Syria, Turkey’s role in renewing nuclear talks between
Iran and the west, and strengthening ties with Arab nations that have
undergone revolutions.
Two years ago, diplomats and analysts were
wondering which country had the most to lose from the rift in relations.
Today, there is no longer any doubt that Israel is the loser in this
very important struggle. Turkey is no longer in need of Israeli
intervention with the U.S., Turkey’s economic situation is among the
best in Europe, and Turkey has become a central diplomatic channel for
solving regional conflicts.
Israel, it seems, has accepted its loss of
relations with Turkey, even though senior Turkish officials believe
diplomatic efforts to improve relations would be worthwhile.
Natasha Mozgovaya contributed to this report.
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