Author: Petr Lyukimson, Israel, exclusively to VK
Turkish government decided to abandon its veto on the participation of the Israel Defense Forces in NATO exercises and operations.
Apparently, the veto was removed on December 4 in exchange for agreeing of NATO command to deploy missile defense system "Patriot" at the Turkish border with Syria, but in Israel it was announced in the evening of December 23.
Looking back, in April 2012, Turkey used its veto power to block the participation of Israel in the NATO Summit in Chicago. Since then, Israel has actually been deprived of the opportunity to participate in the activity of NATO, and now Turkey, apparently under the pressure from the Americans, has changed its position. Nevertheless, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has told Israel that the withdrawal of the veto in any case will not mean a resumption of military cooperation between the two countries unless Turkey considers the incident with the "Mavi Marmara" settled. All contacts between Israeli and Turkish military, if needed, will be done through NATO headquarters, Davutoglu said.
As an Israeli diplomat stated in an interview to VK, the Americans have recently tried to put massive pressure on both Israel and Turkey to bring the parties to cooperate. "The U.S. is extremely annoyed with the situation in which two of their main allies in the Middle East do not talk to each other. Washington is convinced that if there was not any Israeli-Turkish conflict, the international community could conduct far more effective policy on the Syrian issue and find its solution. In November, we seemed to be close to solving the crisis; moreover, at a secret meeting of the narrow cabinet on security issues the text of an apology for the "Marmara" was even approved, but after that the tough position of the Turkish leadership forced Israel to abandon this step. Now, after the forced resignation of the Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and when all the other members of the government are involved in the pre-election fever, no one is interested in what is going on in Turkey and generally in foreign policy”, the diplomat said.
