There may have been discrimination against Jews in Turkey, as well as against other minorities, in the process of building a nation after the formation of the Turkish Republic, but brutal repression or pogroms never occurred. Sentiments between Turkey and Israel have recently soured after Turkish citizens were attacked and killed by Israeli soldiers aboard the humanitarian aid ship Mavi Marmara last year. This was unprecedented.
Nationalism causes a temporary blindness to reality; racism or religious fundamentalism leads to total and permanent blindness. Just look what the ultra-right-wing politicians who are in control of the Israeli Foreign Ministry have done: In order to humiliate the Turkish ambassador, they made him sit in a lower chair and drew the attention of the media to the situation. Such an act is at best infantile and uncouth. But that is the extent of the wisdom of committed nationalists, racists or religious fundamentalists. Israel’s exaggerated sense of self-worth and excessive concern for security, which risks the security of all others, always causes problems. The Mavi Marmara scandal is just one example. The Israeli government cannot yet come around to apologizing for this outright murder committed by its armed forces.
It is true that some of the passengers aboard the humanitarian aid ship had a political agenda, such as drawing attention to the IsraelI military blockade of Gaza and drawing the world’s attention to the dire need of the besieged Gazans. But political activities are not repressed in democratic societies that adhere to the rule of law. The Palmer Report [a UN committee report analyzing the Mavi Marmara incident] does not condone the murders, either.
Common sense says that if a crime is committed, reparations must be made. If Israel finds the cost of resisting compensating for damage done to people’s lives and severing relations with Turkey easier to handle than making a sincere apology and paying reparations to the families of those killed, then so be it. In that case, Israel’s self-image as a tough country means more to it than losing Turkey at as an ally. Let us not forget that Israel is presenting an example that might be imitated by its enemies (and there are many of them).
I am certain that there are plenty of Israelis and Turks who want to mend the relations between the two countries, which are worsening with every passing day. However, the burden is on the Israeli side because they were neither militarily harassed nor physically attacked by an armed party. They can start by declaring that they are ready to pay a reasonable sum to the families of the deceased. This means an apology of some sort. Even better, the apology could be directed to the families of those killed. This way Israel’s politicians will not feel humiliated or defeated.
My second suggestion to rebuild the damaged psychological and diplomatic bridges (leaving aside economic and military connections) is that Israel be urged to refrain from forging alliances with Turkey’s opponents, such as the Greek Cypriot government, and to instead invite Turkey into a cooperative scheme to search for oil and gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, including the part of the sea over which Turkey has rights. This move will yield a much larger area for economic exploitation. Economic cooperation will ease tensions and help rebuild the damaged relationship. Egypt could also be included in this partnership, which would ensure peace and stability in the region.
This agenda requires civic courage, not military force: That would be going too far. Maintaining a semblance of peace by military means is both temporary and misleading. Israel has to understand this. And Turkey has to understand that a military show of force is expensive and only excites the spectators, who will give a thumbs down when it comes to a real confrontation. Both of these governments seem to be held captive by the opinion of their respective publics, so their projected image of having “big power” or “unyielding leadership” is mainly for internal consumption. This is a pseudo-political success that won’t last.
It is always safer and cheaper to gain a partner rather than an adversary. I hope first that Israel realizes this, and then that Turkey can respond positively to a genuine gesture of retribution and a well-aimed apology from Israel.
