Petr Lukimson, Israel. Exclusively to VK
Official Israeli sources don’t confirm reports that the US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton “intensively recommended” Israel to accept Turkish conditions and normalize relations with Ankara. According to some Turkish and Israeli mass media, the essence of the conversation between Clinton and Israeli leaders was the following: the USA would support the position of Israel on the Iranian nuclear threat, but instead of it Israel should take efforts on revival of negotiations with Palestinians and normalization of relations with Turkey.
The last is especially important, according to Clinton, in the context of possible shocks in Syria and in case if all diplomatic options toward Iran are exhausted and it is clear that without a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities the problem cannot be settled.
However, VK failed to confirm the information. The Foreign Ministry and Premier administration state that the American guest didn’t express such demands (but it doesn’t mean she didn’t express such “views”).
At the same time, in recent times forces that believe relations with Turkey should be reconstructed have become active in Israeli politics and diplomacy. They think it should be done even if Israel has to sacrifice its principles, i.e. express official apologies and pay compensation to families of those who died on Mavi Marmara ship. They set an example of recent apologies expressed by the US to Pakistan for killing its soldiers. This incident was mentioned by the Foreign Minister of Israel, Avigdor Lieberman, who explained why Israel had no intention to apologize. If the US see no reason for apologies to Pakistan, Lieberman said, it is ridiculous to make Israel do it.
However, these incidents are different: Americans killed Pakistani soldiers by mistake, but in general without any reason; while activists of the Islamic organization IHH resisted Israeli soldiers on Mavi Marmara and injured heavily some of them.
The fact that there is no progress in relations between Israel and Turkey is confirmed by unwillingness of Israel’s Foreign Minister to go to Astana at the summit of foreign ministers of countries-members of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia only because the chair of the forum is Turkey.
According to political scientists, if Clinton really expressed such views, Israel would have to take some steps to meet them.
According to political scientists, if Clinton really expressed such views, Israel would have to take some steps to meet them.
