Turkish-Israeli relations hit new low
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The relationship between Turkey and Israel that has been in freefall in recent years reached a new low on Monday.
Ankara warned that a failure by Israel to apologize for the Gaza flotilla incident would lead to Turkey cutting off all ties with the Jewish state, according to reports in the Turkish media.
At this stage at least, Israel is refusing to apologize for seizing the Turkish vessel that was heading an international convoy bound for the Gaza Strip on May 31.
According to Israeli media, as Israeli commandoes boarded the Mavi Marmara they were attacked with iron bars and knives by some of the activists on board and eventually opened fire on them, leaving nine people dead.
Israel says it will not apologize for defending its citizens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his spokespeople made it clear they will not tolerate any attempted breaches of their maritime blockade of Gaza.
Since the assault on the vessel, thousands of protestors have taken to the streets of Turkey demanding action against Israel, with the country's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan leading the verbal onslaught.
Skepticism
In the wake of the publication of the reports supposedly quoting Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkish government officials sought to play down the minister's remarks.
Turkish newspapers reported that Davutoglu said Israel has three options: to apologize, to agree to an international commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the attack on the Mavi Marmara or to face an end to diplomatic ties.
Two experts on the Israeli-Turkish relationship expressed doubts about the chances that Ankara will really cut off ties with Israel.
In conversations with Xinhua, both emphasized that they had not seen the latest reports but said in general terms they cannot envisage Turkey taking such a step.
"I really can't see a break in diplomatic ties but if it were to happen it would be a terrible thing for Israel. However, as I said, I cannot see this happening," said Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to Turkey, who later became the director general of Israel's Foreign Ministry.
Likewise, senior Turkish newspaper columnist Yusuf Kanli pours cold water on the suggestion that Davutoglu is prepared to go as far as the newspapers suggest.
"I don't think that Turkey will take such a drastic step," Kanli said on Tuesday.
In his opinion, this is part of a negotiation between the countries being carried out via the media. Each nation is offering a position from which it can retreat down the line -- "the Turks demanding an apology, the Israelis refusing."
"Turkey needs Israel and Israel needs Turkey," Kanli explained.
