The TV series, broadcast by the state-run Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), portrays Israeli soldiers murdering children, and it prompted Israel's foreign minister to order Israeli Foreign Ministry officials to summon the deputy chief of mission at the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv to the ministry in order to make a formal protest regarding the series. With the Israeli media focusing on these developments and trying to turn them into a crisis, some Israelis have begun to say that Jewish lobbies in the US will no longer support Turkey's causes and that Israel needs to look for another partner instead of Turkey. However, Turkish analysts believe that even though there may be ups and downs in Turkey's relationship with Israel, it is not possible for the country to cut ties with Turkey. “The TV series ‘Separation' led to an uproar in Israel. Turkish and Israeli relations have undergone a third tumultuous blow after Turkey's exclusion of Israel from the multinational military exercise and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's critical remarks about Israeli operations against Gaza carried out at the beginning of the year,” says Sabah's Erdal Şafak, who questions whether all these developments will lead to a conclusion and whether Turkey is breaking its ties with Israel in a systematic way. In Şafak's view, it is not possible to argue that Turkey is turning away from Israel, but it is evident that Israel is undergoing very troubled and problematic times, not only with Turkey but also with its most loyal friends. As an example, he says the Barack Obama administration is pointed to as the “most distant,” or to put it more correctly, “most balanced,” US administration since President Jimmy Carter (1976-1980). Similarly, Şafak says the European Union and most of its 27 members are turning a cold shoulder to Israel, noting that this attitude change has become more discernable following the 22-day Gaza operation at the start of the year. “All these show that it is not only Turkey that is taking a stance against Israel,” notes Şafak.
Looking at the uproar created in the Israeli media over the exclusion of Israel from the multinational military exercise in Turkey despite the fact that Israeli officials were initially more moderate in their reactions, Zaman's Mehmet Yılmaz questions whether Israel might consider cutting ties with Turkey and states that it would be “a bit tough.” Israel cannot do this because Turkey has recently dramatically improved its relations with its neighbors and has voiced messages of peace to the international community, he said, noting that, on the other hand, a blow is dealt to Israel's image in the eyes of the world each and every day.
Talking about two factors that led to the current situation in bilateral ties with Israel, Yılmaz says one of these factors is the rapidly changing circumstances of the region, while the other is faulty Israeli policies. “While assessing Israeli-Turkish relations, I think it is necessary to give up constantly approaching the matter from Turkey's front and ignoring Israel's acts. Only when this can be done will Israel understand that Turkey is not a country that it has the luxury of losing,” suggests Yılmaz.
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