Tag Archive for Israel Turkey

| December 22, 2015
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At Israel’s Request, Turkey Expels Hamas Leader

 

Although full normalizing of ties is still far off, to begin negotiations Turkey agreed to Israel’s demand to expel Saleh al-Arouri, one of the planners of the 2014 murder of 3 Israeli teenagers.

By Smadar Perry, Itamar Eichner

 

As agreed upon Hamas’ senior representative in Istanbul, Saleh al-Arouri, was expelled from Turkey Monday. Nevertheless, there remain a number of points which can stall and even torpedo normalizing diplomatic ties.

Palestine Passport - Persona non grata

Israel established al-Arouri’s expulsion from the country as a condition for achieving full reconciliation between Ankara and Jerusalem. Al-Arouri’s “voluntary” departure was agreed upon during the meeting between Hamas’ political chief, Khaled Mashal and Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu last Saturday. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| December 22, 2015
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Analysis: An Israeli gas pipeline to Turkey is a bad idea

 

Despite Israel’s reputation for toughness, Jerusalem tends to be too optimistic (i.e. the Oslo Accords and the Gaza withdrawal) however, tempting an Israel-Turkey gas pipeline will ultimately work against the Jewish State.

By Daniel Pipes

 

Recent news suggesting that the Turkish and Israeli governments are poised to renew full diplomatic relations after years of tensions makes me smile cynically — and worry again about Israeli gullibility.

The two states enjoyed close relations in the 1990s, when a common world outlook led to a strong military bond, growing trade, and exchanges of people and culture. Writing in 1997, I characterized this bilateral relationship as having “the potential to alter the strategic map of the Middle East, to reshape American alliances there, and to reduce Israel’s regional isolation.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| December 18, 2015
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‘We love Israeli tourists’: Turkish businessmen embrace normalization, seeking return of ‘good ol’ days’

 

Hotel managers in Istanbul admits to the Israeli media that they eagerly await the return of Israeli tourists, saying, ‘We hope Israeli tourists will return en masse, they’re preferred customers.’

By Tova Dvorin

 

Turkish business owners eagerly await the return of Israeli tourism, Channel 2 reports Friday, less than 24 hours after Israeli and Turkish officials held normalization talks in Switzerland.

“We love Israelis and they have almost stopped coming in recent years because of politics,” Saardan, a hotel worker in Istanbul, told the Israeli daily. He added that Israelis were, and remain, “preferred customers.”

“The buffet awaits you,” Malek Kiyeh, a Turkish hotel owner, added.  Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| December 18, 2015
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Israel welcomes Turkey’s initiative by reaching 7-point reconciliation ‘understandings’

 

Israeli official reveals draft agreement to compensate families of those killed on the Marmara, and selling Israel’s natural gas, was reached in secret meetings with Turkish gov’t representatives in Switzerland.

By Ari Yashar

 

An Israeli official on Thursday revealed that “understandings” to normalize ties have been reached with Turkey, in a potential breakthrough for the strained relations that collapsed in the infamous Turkish Mavi Marmara flotilla incident in 2010.

Drafted in a secret meeting in Switzerland on Wednesday, the deal would have Israel pay compensation to the families of the radical activists on board the flotilla who attacked IDF soldiers with lethal force, and would also launch talks on natural gas exports to Turkey.
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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| November 26, 2015
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Russia: No tourism to Turkey or vegetable imports, we will import from Israel

 

Following downing of Russian jet by Turkey, tourism destined to Turkey rerouted to Israel & now the Russian agriculture minister announces the cessation of vegetable imports from Ankara.

By Ynetnews

 

Tensions between Russia and Turkey continue to mount as Moscow announced this week that it would stop importing vegetables from Ankara, listing Israel as a possible alternative.

Anti-Turkish protests at the Turkish embassy in Moscow – Photo: AP

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently ended security cooperation with Ankara and asked Russian citizens to avoid visiting Turkey, but the Russian president seems to want to punish Turkey even more for downing a Russian combat jet two days ago. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| September 1, 2015
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Turkish-Palestinian project, backed by Israel, will allow duty-free exports to US

 

Israel’s Foreign Ministry hosting Turkish delegation that arrived in Israel to discuss investment project backed by Jerusalem, the EU & Washington, that would allow Palestinians to export goods duty free to the US.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON

 

A Turkish delegation met in Tel Aviv on Monday with Likud Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara, the acting minister of the Regional Cooperation Ministry, to promote a proposal to build an industrial zone near Jenin in the West Bank.

The Turkish delegation included Prof. Guven Sak, the managing director of the Economic Policy Research foundation of Turkey, an economic policy think tank based in Ankara. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| August 19, 2015
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Analysis: A Turkey-Hamas-Israel reconciliation?

The deal: Israel sells natural gas to Turkey, acquiring cheaper energy, and the Palestinians catch a break with relief on the blockade.

By Emmanuel Navon

 

The long-awaited approval of the natural gas deal by the Israeli government has the potential of turning Israel into a major energy exporter and therefore into a different kind of geopolitical player. This change is already being felt vis-à-vis a former regional ally-turned-challenger: Turkey.

In September 2014, the owners of the Leviathan gas field (Noble Energy and the Delek Group) signed an agreement with Jordan’s national electric company (NEPCO) for the export of 45 BCM (billion cubic meters) of natural gas over 15 years. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| August 12, 2015
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Israelis put politics aside making Turkey their top destination in July

Despite Ankara’s years of anti-Israel rhetoric, Israel Airports Authority’s data show 172,507 passengers traveled on Israel-Turkey route in July, a 30% increase from last year.

By Danny Sadeh

 

Despite the chilly relations in the diplomatic arena, Turkey has become the most active destination for flights from Israel, according to an Israel Airports Authority (IAA) summary of the month of July, which was released Monday.

Antalya. Are Israelis returning to Turkey’s holiday resorts? – Photo: Ilan Halperin

The United States, which has been the most active destination of direct flights from Israel for years, fell to the third place, while Greece went up to the second place.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| May 23, 2015
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Erdogan boasts about Turkish APC, but mum it was jointly manufactured with Israel

After much nationalistic bravado at the Int’l Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul, Erdoğan unveiled the Hurricane, a vehicle that was manufactured jointly with an Israeli firm, Hatehof.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, had to figuratively wipe egg of his face this weekend.

The Hurricane, manufactured jointly with an Israeli firm, Hatehof - Photo: Hatehof, LTDThe Hurricane, manufactured jointly with an Israeli firm, Hatehof – Photo: Hatehof, LTD

According to a report in the Turkish daily newspaper Zaman, the firebrand leader paid a visit to the pavilion hosting the International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul, during which he boasted of his nation’s growing influence in the global arms trade. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| February 6, 2015
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Turkey FM withdraws from Munich conference in boycott of Israeli participants

Israeli minister Steinitz said, “By boycotting Israel, Turkey shows its sympathies lie with radical Islam & terror groups such as Hamas & the Muslim Brotherhood.”

By i24news

 

Turkey’s foreign minister on Friday cancelled his appearance at a Munich conference citing the participation of Israeli representatives.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks during a press conference with his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja (unseen) in Ankara, on November 18, 2014 – Photo: Adem Altan/AFP)

“I was going to attend the conference but we decided not to after they added Israeli officials to the Middle East session at the last minute,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Berlin, Reuters reported.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| January 19, 2015
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Jerusalem appoints female chargé d’affaires to Israel’s embassy in Turkey

New Israeli chargé d’affaires Amira Oron will have to deal with the country’s most sensitive situations: Israel’s assertion that Turkey is hosting Hamas officials, Erdogan’s accusations Israel is a terrorist state and the Mavi Marmara incident.

By Itamar Eichner

 

In an unusual move, the Foreign Ministry recently decided to appoint a woman as chargé d’affaires at the Israeli Embassy in Turkey.

Amira Oron

The diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey in the wake of the Mavi Marmara incident led then-Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to expel the Israeli ambassador and the Israeli embassy was downgraded to having a chargé d’affaires rather than an ambassador.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| November 23, 2014
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Turkish governor threatens to discontinue Jewish prayer after synagogue completes renovation

Governor of Turkish city Edirne threatened to turn synagogue into museum after renovations, saying it was unfair for Turkey to fund Jewish place of worship if Israel was denying Muslims access to their holy sites in Jerusalem.

By DPA

 

The governor of the Turkish city Edirne was under pressure on Saturday, after allegedly saying local Jews would not be able to use a synagogue there because of Israel’s actions at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.

The historical Büyük Synagogue

The historical Büyük Synagogue – Screenshot from hurriyetdailynews.com

The 100-year-old synagogue is undergoing renovations and when completed “will only serve as a museum” Edirne Governor Dursun Sahin was quoted by local media as saying on Friday.

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Category: Jewish News, Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| September 10, 2014
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Turkey Nixes ‘Inhumane’ Israeli Gas to Europe Deal Worth $2.2b

Turkish energy minister rejects a planned $2.2 billion gas pipeline project with Israel, until Jerusalem makes ‘peace’ with Hamas terrorists.

By Ari Yashar

 

Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz essentially blackmailed Israel on Tuesday, demanding that the Jewish state make “peace” with the Gaza-based terrorist organization Hamas before it would consider a joint energy project linking Israel with Europe.

Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh and Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh and Recep Tayyip Erdogan – Reuters

“For energy projects to proceed, the human tragedy in Gaza will have to be stopped and Israel will have to instate a permanent peace there with all elements,” Yildiz told reporters in Ankara, referring to the recent counter-terror Operation Protective Edge. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| July 26, 2014
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Turkey’s National Airlines Resumes its Flights to Israel

 

Following Israel-Hamas 12-hr ceasefire, Turkey’s flag carrier will reportedly resume flights to Israel.

But Germany’s pilots’ union criticized decision to resume flights to Israel.

By Itay Blumenthal

 

Turkish Airlines has announced it will resume flights to Israel following in wake of a 12-hour ceasefire reached between Hamas and Israel, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported. Meanwhile, Germany’s pilot union lamented the decision to resume flights to Israel.

Turkish Aircraft in BG airport in Tel Aviv

Turkish Aircraft in BG airport in Tel Aviv after ban – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

Two Turkish Airlines flights reportedly took off on Saturday hours after Turkey’s aviation authority SHGM lifted ban on flights to Ben Gurion Airport, the reported quoted the company as saying said. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| July 15, 2014
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Turkey’s PM Erdogan says Israel’s Knesset Member Ayelet Shaked thinks like Hitler

In his speech to Turkey’s parliament Turkish PM says ties between Israel and Ankara wouldn’t normalize if Israel continues ‘to kill innocent children,’ and strike at Gaza.

 

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has compared Habayit Hayehudi lawmaker Ayelet Shaked to Adolf Hitler and accused Israel of committing “state terror” against the Palestinians.
Erdogan addresses party members at the Turkish parliament in Ankara. June 24, 2014.

Erdogan addresses party members at the Turkish parliament in Ankara. June 24, 2014. – Photo: Reuters

The Knesset member earlier this month wrote on Facebook, “Who is the enemy? The Palestinian people. Why? Ask them, they started it.”

In a weekly address to his parliamentary group Tuesday, Erdogan said Shaked’s mentality was like Hitler’s.

Continue Reading »
Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
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