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Knesset member: Israeli-Turkish relations not to experience complete rupture

06 September 2011 [10:46] - TODAY.AZ
The deterioration of relations between Turkey and Israel will not lead to a complete rupture of relations between the two countries, since the West and U.S. will firstly not allow Turkey to take this step, said Knesset member from the Arab bloc 'National Democratic Union' Hanin Zoabi.

"Turkey is a strategic partner of the United States and has good diplomatic relations with this country. Washington will make every effort to prevent Ankara from completely breaking ties with Israel," Zoabi told Trend by telephone from Tel Aviv.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Sept. 2 the diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel passed on the secondary level. Moreover, Ankara has frozen its military cooperation with Tel Aviv.

Davutoglu said Ankara recalled its ambassador to Tel-Aviv. Davutoglu said that the relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara will not be restored till Israel apologizes to Turkey.

Zoabi said even if relations between Israel and Turkey are partially restored, the military agreement would not be restored.

"Israel was ready for this turn of events, so in advance has taken some steps for approximation with Greece in order to further enhance military cooperation with this country," said Zoabi.

The defense ministers of Greece Panos Beglitis and Israel Ehud Barak signed a memorandum on military cooperation between the two countries in Jerusalem on Sunday, the Greek Defense Ministry reported.

Zoabi also said that the break in relations would adversely affect the position of Israel in the region because breaking relations with Turkey, Israel loses the sole of strategic partner in the region.
As for Turkey, the expert said Turkey will not incur any losses from the break in relations with Israel. Rather, this step of Ankara will turn Turkey into a leader in the region.

"Turkey's decision to move relations with Israel to the secondary level is welcomed by the countries of the region, and it will create a chance for Ankara to become a leading force in the region," the expert said.

Relations between Turkey and Israel -- two strategic and military partners -- worsened after Israeli naval attacks on the "Flotilla of Freedom" carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza on May 31. Nine Turks fell victim to a confrontation between Israeli soldiers and international human rights activists on the Turkish ship.

Ankara later demanded that Israel issue an official apology, order an independent international investigation, and pay compensation.

There was hope for the restoration of bilateral relations in December last year, when
Turkey sent two aircrafts to help Israel in the fight against Israel's largest forest fire in country’s history, which claimed at least 41 lives.

However, later Turkish officials said that Ankara would only restore relations with Israel after a formal apology, which Tel Aviv has refused.


/Trend/
URL: http://www.today.az/news/regions/93785.html

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