ANKARA (Agencies)
Turkey said on Wednesday its ambassador to Israel would be recalled if a row over his treatment was not resolved by Wednesday night, in an apparent rebuff of an apology by Tel Aviv that has chilled relations.
Israel apologized to Turkey on Wednesday for what it called a breach of diplomatic manners that had further cooled what was once an unusually warm relationship between the Jewish state and a Muslim regional power.
" If the problem is not resolved by tonight the ambassador will come to Turkey for consultations " Turkish president After Ankara demanded an apology for his televised dressing down of Turkey's ambassador on Monday, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon issued a statement conceding that his behavior toward Oguz Celikkol had been inappropriate.
While Ayalon stopped short of using the word, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the statement as an "apology" and said he was glad that it had been made.
But Turkey's President Abdullah Gul, who is scheduled to host Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday, appeared not to see it that way.
"If the problem is not resolved by tonight the ambassador will come to Turkey for consultations, " he told reporters during a reception on Wednesday. It was not clear what Gul meant by "resolving the problem."
Celikkol was due in Ankara on Thursday to prepare Barak's visit. |
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"Valley of the wolves" " The prime minister believes that the foreign ministry's protest to the Turkish ambassador was just in its essence but should have been conveyed in an acceptable diplomatic manner " Statement from the office of Israeli PM Netanyahu Israel's ire had been sparked by the broadcast of an episode of the Turkish espionage drama, Valley of the Wolves, which the foreign ministry said depicted "Israel and Jews as baby-snatchers and war criminals."
In the episode, a Turkish secret agent storms an Israeli diplomatic mission to rescue a Turkish boy kidnapped by Mossad and then brushes off accusations of war crimes as hypocritical.
The row had fuelled tension between the longtime allies that had been steadily rising since Israel's Gaza offensive one year ago drew blunt criticism from Turkey.
Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon reprimanded ambassador Ahmet Celikkol over the TV series on Monday in a manner media said was meant to humiliate the Turkish envoy.
"In the future, I will clarify my position in diplomatically acceptable ways," Ayalon said on Wednesday after Turkey demanded an apology.
"My protest against the Turkish attacks against Israel is alive and well. However, it is not my way to disrespect ambassadors, " Ayalon said in a statement. |
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Deterioration of ties The incidents mirrored the deterioration in ties since Israel's devastating assault on Gaza one year ago, which triggered an outraged response from Erdogan at the time.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Turkey had begun aligning itself with Muslim countries hostile to Israel -- like Iran -- since before the Gaza campaign.
"This is cause for concern for Israel," Netanyahu was quoted as saying late on Tuesday by an official in his office.
Israel's liberal Haaretz newspaper said that ultra-nationalist Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman sought to torpedo Barak's attempts to mend ties with Turkey, which in the past has played a key role in mediating Israel's indirect talks with Syria as well as with the Hamas rulers of Gaza.
Lieberman's ministry said the drama series threatened "Jewish lives in Turkey" and also rebuffed Erdogan's criticism of a weekend air raid on Gaza, saying that Turkey "is in no position to preach morality to Israel".
In an equally harsh response, Muslim-majority Turkey rejected the charges as "excessive statements made on domestic political concerns (which) we vehemently condemn".
As a predominantly Muslim nation, albeit with a secular constitution, as well as a NATO military power, Turkey is a key ally for Israel in the Middle East. |
Relations between Israel and Turkey cool amid recent rows between the once allies
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