Tornado Alley (PROG)

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Turkey, once an Israeli ally, expels ambassador

Jay Bookman
12:38 pm September 2, 2011, by Jay

In the wake of the Israeli raid on a Turkish aid flotilla headed for Gaza, an operation that ended in the deaths of nine Turkish citizens a little more than a year ago, the Turkish government has announced that it is recalling its ambassador to Israel, expelling Israel’s ambassador to Turkey, downgrading diplomatic relations and suspending all military cooperation.

Until fairly recently, Turkey had been a strong Israeli ally. Yes, Turkey’s internal politics has something to do with this new decision. And yes, a UN panel has concluded that Israel had the legal right under international law to halt that flotilla, although the same panel also concluded that the Israeli military used “excessive and unreasonable force.”

As an Israeli news outlet notes, the report asks some unsettling questions [ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4116884,00.html ]:

“Forensic evidence showing that most of the deceased were shot multiple times, including in the back, or at close range has not been adequately accounted for in the material presented by Israel.”

From Israel’s point of view, the flotilla was halted, and the Israeli government’s aggressive reaction continues to draw strong popular support from voters. In that sense, it was a success, and Israel still refuses Turkish demands for an apology.

However, while Israel wins every battle, it is losing the war. In an era in which economic, political, military and cultural connections are becoming more and more important, Israel is becoming more and more isolated. If that trend is not reversed somehow … I don’t know. Short-term emotional gratification, which is what Israeli policy produces, seldom produces long-term strategic success.

© 2011 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

http://blogs.ajc.com/jay-bookman-blog/2011/09/02/turkey-once-an-israeli-ally-expels-ambassador/ [with comments]