Once Erdogan had Israeli friends: how the alliance with Turkey collapsed — and the main concern now
The unusual attack in Syria further intensified the crisis, but once everything looked different: 30 years ago, Turkey and Israel signed a military cooperation agreement, and Erdogan's visit to Israel only strengthened the cooperation. The Turkish president was even considered a personal friend of the Ofer brothers and received advice from an Israeli doctor. So why did the alliance collapse? An Israeli security official: 'Trump is letting the parties blow off steam, the concern is a miscalculation.'
Israel and Turkey have recently been escalating their activities and rhetoric against each other against the backdrop of involvement in Syria, but in the recent history of their relations, there were moments that are hard to imagine today: Israeli fighter pilots trained in Turkish skies, army and intelligence officers exchanged information, the Israeli military industry upgraded Turkey's fighter jets and tanks, Ankara served as a conduit for messages between Jerusalem and Damascus, and leaders from both countries maintained close personal ties. Azerbaijan is working to calm the tension with Turkey: 'Have you gone crazy?' Today, and even more so after the attack on the base in Syria, the 'Don't' of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the arrest warrant issued against him by the Turks, the situation is completely different.
An Israeli security official addressed the crisis with Turkey and said: 'We are not in such a hurry to end the crisis with Turkey. We are tired. We tried nicely with them, but it didn't work. Erdogan does not stop inciting against us.' He noted that US President Donald Trump is not intervening for now: 'He is keeping his distance, but that could change. He is letting the parties blow off steam. Everyone's fear is that there will be a loss of control or a miscalculation. I think Erdogan is even more afraid than we are.' According to him, 'the entire Middle East knows that Israel is the strongest country in the Middle East. Erdogan, indeed, continues with the insults and comparisons to Hitler, but he understands that he cannot stretch this any further.'
The Historical Honeymoon
In the past, however, there were also human moments. In the summer of 1999, when one of the deadliest earthquakes in Turkey's history destroyed large parts of the country's northwest, Israel was among the first to arrive to help. Hundreds of rescue and medical personnel set up field hospitals and worked in the disaster area. In that same event, 9-year-old Shiran Franco was rescued alive after about 100 hours under the rubble in the heavy heat, without food and water. Her father, twin brother, grandfather, and grandmother did not survive.
The 90s were the honeymoon period between Israel and Turkey. The Middle East peace process, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the shared fear of Syria, Iran, and terrorist organizations created a strategic basis for cooperation. In February 1996, the two countries signed a military cooperation agreement that included the exchange of information and experience, joint exercises, and mutual access to ports. A few months later, Israeli F-16 aircraft already began training in Turkish skies. Turkey had vast aerial training spaces, and Israel had operational experience and technological knowledge. Both sides benefited.
The security alliance also received an industrial dimension, among other things, a deal worth about $650 million to upgrade 54 Turkish F-4 (Phantom) aircraft. Israel also participated in the upgrade of F-5 aircraft, and at the same time, agreements were signed in the field of missiles and armaments. There were also plans and deals that concerned Turkish M-60 tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, warning systems, and other technologies. Israel was not just an ally of Turkey, but a partner in the modernization process of its army.
From Reconciliation to Rift
Even Recep Tayyip Erdogan — an Islamist politician in whose office a picture of the Al-Aqsa Mosque hung since his days as mayor of Istanbul — was not quick to sever Turkey-Israel relations after his election as president in 2003. Two years later, he arrived for an official visit to Israel, and the Israeli Foreign Ministry claims that after this, political and economic cooperation between the countries strengthened. This was a time when personal and economic ties were forged: Erdogan was considered a personal friend of brothers Yuli and Sammy Ofer, and his son did business in Israel.
The Mavi Marmara crisis was the turning point during the Second Lebanon War. Parallel to the anger over the destruction in southern Lebanon and Beirut, the perception strengthened in Turkey that Israel does not treat it as a strategic partner and acts in the region without considering its interests. The crisis worsened around Operation Cast Lead, which began at the end of 2008. Erdogan, who until then was one of the prominent Muslim leaders who maintained an open channel with Israel, became one of its harshest critics. And then came the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2009. On a panel that dealt with the operation in Gaza, Erdogan attacked President Shimon Peres, and after an intense verbal confrontation, left the stage in protest. The event became a symbol in the Arab and Turkish world within hours. Erdogan was received in his country as a hero.
The model for cooperation with a Muslim country collapsed. The crisis reached another peak in May 2010, during a flotilla initiated by a Turkish organization to break the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip. IDF forces took over the Mavi Marmara ship, which was part of the flotilla, and the event ended with the deaths of ten Turkish citizens and several wounded IDF soldiers. From Turkey's point of view, this was a red line: diplomatic relations were dramatically downgraded, the Turkish ambassador left Israel, and the security connection faded.
The Syrian Knot
Today, the reality is the opposite. After the fall of the Assad regime, Turkey deepened its involvement in Syria and supports the new rule of the jihadist Al-Julani. Israel, obviously, is worried about the deepening of the Turkish presence at the neighbor in the north (Turkey currently holds five percent of Syria's territory, while Israel holds 0.1 percent). Last week, the confrontation reached an unusual point when Israel attacked the Abu al-Duhur base in Syria after, according to it, there was a danger from Turkish forces at the place (Turkey denied).
Relations have now entered a very sensitive period related to the election system in Israel. Whatever Netanyahu does, he will be suspected of trying to heat up the front for political considerations. Here the US enters the picture. It must act as the responsible adult and immediately lower the flames. The key to the continuation of the escalation is in Washington's hands.
