Israel–Turkey relations

A conference organized in Ankara by the International Strategic Research Organization (USAK) on Turkish-Israeli relations in view of regional developments started with a heated debate when the first speaker, Professor Raphael Israeli, attributed Turkey?s policies toward Israel to Turks? hatred of the Jewish people.

Turkey hopes re-elected Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will take steps to both mend ties with Turkey and pursue a sustainable peace with Palestine, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Ar?nç told Israeli broadcaster Channel 2, in a rare interview following a rupture due to the Mavi Marmara incident in 2010.

?We want to leave this episode behind us. Turkey is a very important country. We want friendly relations. But the ball is now in Turkey?s court.?

These words were uttered by someone you would least expect: The spokesperson of Israel?s Foreign Ministry, Emmanuel Nahshon.

A Turkish has court ordered a fresh examination of the ?Mavi Marmara? ship that was raided by Israeli soldiers while trying to break the blockade on Gaza in 2010, as a part of an ongoing case against four Israeli commanders changed in absentia with the killing of nine Turks.

The Turkish state?s most enigmatic figure has created such a star effect in politics that even President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an is heartbroken. Hakan Fidan?s resignation from the top post in intelligence and move into politics is probably the biggest political event of 2015. And this may even overshadow the upcoming elections. Here is why.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Feb. 6 described his country's apology to Turkey as an "enormous mistake," in reference to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to express "regret" in 2013 for a deadly incident in 2010 in which ten Turks were killed by Israeli commandos.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu has canceled his meeting at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) started on Feb. 6.

The minister's decision came after the information that the Israeli minister of intelligence and strategic affairs would also participate in the meeting.

Senior Turkish and Israeli senior officials have started a war of words over the Israeli prime minister's controversial participation in a massive anti-terror demonstration in Paris, with his Turkish counterpart comparing his operations in Gaza to jihadist terrorists that killed 17 people last week in the French capital.

Israel does not intend to recognize the killings of Armenians in 1915 as a genocide this year, Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Rafael Harpaz has said, the Azerbaijani website Trend reported on Jan. 8.

?Israel is a democratic country. Everybody has two opinions [on the issue], not one,? Harpaz said.

A Palestinian state should be established as soon as possible within the borders established in 1967, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Çavuşoğlu has said, during a ceremony to decorate the outgoing Palestinian ambassador in Ankara with the outstanding service award.