An Israeli Snub to "Very Valuable" Turkey?

Israel and Syria: Can Turkey Be a Mediator?

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Maybe it's because Israeli leaders had a busy day on Thursday --- debating Palestine, considering the economy, getting their hair done --- but I can't help thinking that this may be a snub. At Turkey's Republic Day reception in Israel, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, the Industry, Trade and Labor Minister, was the only Israeli politician to be found. President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon all declined their invitations.

Asked whether this was a form of protest, a spokesman for Peres said she had nothing to add. Lieberman's spokesman stated only that the Foreign Minister would not attend and did not give any detail. A spokesman for Netanyahu said the prime minister had other obligations Thursday night. A spokeswoman for Ayalon said on Wednesday that he was not able to attend due to "scheduling problems".

Ben-Eliezer did speak at the reception on the "very valuable" Israeli-Turkish relationship and said that it was a "great privilege to be here to today with good friends and to commemorate the 86th Republic Day of Turkey". Then he added, "Both [Israel and Turkey] cooperate strategically - we must make the utmost of efforts to put the train of our friendship back on track."

Transcript: Obama Statement on Turkey's Republic Day

An Israeli Snub to “Very Valuable” Turkey?

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The people of the United States join the people of Turkey in celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey. The friendship between our nation is strong, and our alliance is enduring. More than fifty years ago, the United States and Turkey began a partnership based on shared values and mutual respect – a partnership and friendship that has deepened over the years as we have overcome many shared challenges. Turkish-Americans help to forge the bonds that join our nations in friendship, and they continue to contribute to our society, in a wide range of field including arts, athletics, education, business, medicine and science.

Israel-Syria: Croatia Steps In, US Backs Away

Israel and Syria: Can Turkey Be a Mediator?

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Croatian President Stipe Mesic followed a visit to Israel with talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Thursday. Topics included the promotion of  economic relations, including Croatian investments in oil and gas domains. However, Israeli-Syrian peace talks are also on the agenda, with Mesic offering to broker Syrian-Israeli discussions, holding them in Croatia's Brijuni Islands .

It is not shocking to see a European Union candidate looking for political leverage through its foreign policy agenda. Nor is it shocking to see no change in Israel's position. Although Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "He held negotiations with the elder Assad, and he saw no reason that he could not hold negotiations with the younger," he continued to insist on direct talks with no third-party involvement and the pre-condition of no pre-conditions.



That in effect is a suspension of the Israel-Syria peace talks under Netanyahu's predecessor Ehud Olmert, with the status of the Golan Heights left off any initial agenda. Meanwhile, Syria is still requesting a broker for the discussions, with Turkey  the first name on the list.

Meanwhile, a warning to Damascus has come from Washington. Jeffrey Feltman, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, said that Syria mustreconsider its ties with "terrorist" Hamas, Hezbollah, and groups fighting in Iraq. He added that the US would not go into a dialogue at the expense of Lebanon since there is still no government in Beirut, although he then softened his demands, "We believe that there is further potential for a positive, constructive U.S.-Syrian relationship."

Israel and Syria: Can Turkey Be a Mediator?

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On earlier Wednesday, during a meeting with Croatian President Stipe Mesic, Syrian president Bashar Assad called on European Union countries to facilitate peace talks with Israel through Turkey's mediation:

As far as it concerns us in Syria, we have national support to continue talks with Israel. We call on European countries to also give their contribution, to help Turkey [and] also us to be able to resume from where we have stopped.

With Israeli-Turkish relations have been damaged following the Davos crisis in January, Israeli leaders reiterated that they are not seeking Turkey's mediation role yet are willing to discuss peace with Syria as long as there is no pre-conditions.

Meanwhile, Turkish-Syrian relations are strengthening. Both countries held a military drill in April. Syrian Defense Minister Ali Habib Mahmud said on 14 October that his country is to stage a second round of joint military exercises with Turkey. Turkey and Syria also signed political and economic agreements in September. Mutual visa requirements and taxes on trailer trucks operating between the two countries were lifted and "a strategic cooperation assembly" was established.

Finally, it seems that Ankara has got what it desired from Damascus: insistence on Turkey's mediation in the peace process. On 20 October 20, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly stressed that Syria would accept only their country as a mediator in peace talks with Israel.

On Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated that Syria is pivotal in the path toward regional peace. Without mentioning Turkey, he said, "Peace with Syria is a major building block of any stable regional agreement. Israel has sought in the past, and will continue to seek ways to promote peace with Syria." However, he also put Tel Aviv's conditions: "Responsible behavior on behalf of the Syrians, as well as Hezbollah, is required in order to prevent the dangers of conflict in the region."

So the Israel-Syria talks won't be occurring soon. Will that matter for Turkey? Possibly not in the short-term: it is more than satisfied with how delays as well as progress strengthen its role as a participant in regional politics.

The Iran-Turkey-Israel Triangle: Erdogan in Tehran

The Latest from Iran (28 October): No Lull

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On Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad signed economic agreements and discussed regional politics.

Ahmadinejad praised Erdogan's stance against Israel, describing the country as a "threat to all nations":

When an illicit regime possesses nuclear arms, one cannot talk about depriving other nations of a peaceful nuclear program. Your clear stance toward the Zionist regime had a positive effect in the world, especially the Islamic world, and I am sure that everyone was satisfied.

The more regional countries expand their ties and get closer to each other, the more they can remove their problems and limit the ill-wishers that have plots against them.

Iran-Turkey cooperation would benefit both countries, the region and the whole Islamic world.

Ahmadinejad also praised Erdogan's stance on Tehran's nuclear programme, after the Turkish Prime Minister told The Guardian that "Iranians are working on nuclear power for the purposes of energy only".

Under the Iran-Turkey economic agreement, both countries commit themselves to trade through their own currencies instead of the dollar or euro. Turkey has signed similar accords with Russia and China.