Israel Matzav

One frustrated country

Here's an interesting analysis of why Turkey is behaving the way it is. Please note that it comes from DEBKA, which I hesitate to sole source for facts, but this analysis seems spot-on.

Turkey's combative intransigence over the flotilla episode and rank hostility toward Israel reflect the Erdogan government's frustration over the failure of its strategy to carve a role for Turkey as the leading regional power broker, especially in the Arab Revolt.

Syrian President Bashar Assad simply laughed off Erdogan's "last warning" to him to stop slaughtering civilian demonstrators and return his troops to barracks.

Davutoglu went to Damascus especially on Aug. 9 to deliver the warning by hand. But since then, the Syrian army has killed an estimated 437 people, including nearly 100 Palestinians in the town of Latakia – apart from the scores who are dying from maltreatment in custody. Thousands more are injured daily by military gunfire. Yet Assad not only keeps on sending his troops into Syrian cities but has improved on their tactics: In the last two weeks tanks are smashing their way into one city district after another.

Assad is not alone in showing contempt for Ankara's attempt to make its mark on the Arab Revolt

In Libya, for instance, Turkey undertook to build security and administrative institutions for the dominant Transitional National Council in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi– only to be cold-shouldered after refusing to take part as a NATO member in the military offensive against Muammar Qaddafi and his army - unlike Qatar and Jordan, which put their backs and special forces into toppling the Libyan regime.

The turmoil in Arab lands has made the alliance Erdogan strove to shape between Ankara, Tehran and Damascus, irrelevant, as well as dashing his vision of Turkey as the great bridge between the West and the Muslim world.

Erdogan is now working on a new alliance with Saudi Arabia at the head of the Gulf emirates, but their differences of approach are formidable. Riyadh is focused on establishing a Sunni Muslim lineup to challenge the Iranian-led Shiite world. Erdogan and Davutoglu are not sure this concept will advance their own vision of Turkey's role.

All the Turkish leaders' efforts to make friends and allies have had an important common objective: To isolate Israel and make its military inconsequential as a Middle East force. There is no point therefore in the Netanyahu government acceding to Ankara's demands. Even if the Gaza blockade were to be lifted, Erdogan would find another pretext for slapping Israel down. And if Plan B goes the way of Plan A, his foreign minister certainly has Plans C and D in his briefcase ready to go.

Some Israeli officials refer to Turkey as an important regional power which should be placated. The facts do not support this description. The rift will be healed only when Turkey's rulers stop using Israel as whipping boy for their failed agendas, whether in the Sunni or the Shiite arenas, and understand that the Israeli army is not about to play kids' games with Turkish terrorists.

Read the whole thing. There's a great tidbit in there about Iran that I am hesitant to promote without some other confirmation. But the analysis seems spot-on. Turkey is frustrated and is taking it out on Israel.

Labels: Ahmet Davutoglu, Mavi Marmara, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish obsession with Israel

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 5:12 AM