After Secret Meetings With Saudi Arabia, Israel Publicly Repairs Relationship With Turkey
The relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated after Israeli soldiers raided the Turkish flotilla (Mavi Marmara) while heading to lift Gaza blockade in May 2010. However, both countries began gradually restoring diplomatic and economic ties. In January 2009, Erdogan harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in Gaza at the World Economic Forum conference in Davos.Nonetheless, many analysts, including Ashton Meyer, believe the Davos argument was nothing but a farce manipulated by Erdogan to present himself as the new defender of Palestinian cause. “Having failed in dealing issues with Europe, Armenia, Russia, Syria, Iraq and Iran, Erdogan began improving ties with Israel”, Meyer said. Meyer also wrote: “when I compare how the Turkish people welcomed Erdogan after returning from Davos conference in Istanbul airport with the blood-covered faces of Gaza children, I just can’t tell who is the most unfortunate.”