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Arthur M. Horwitz
Publisher / Executive Editor
ahorwitz@renmedia.us

Impact Of Israel-Turkey Pact

F. Kevin Browett
Chief Operating Officer
kbrowett@renmedia.us

I

n a cost-benefit analysis of the Israel-
Turkey reconciliation deal, both coun-
tries benefit from the success of Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in resolv-
ing their strained relationship and putting
it back on track.
As in any diplomatic deal, there was
compromise. Each side conceded certain
things to the other. Israel apologized for
the deaths of Turkish citizens but did not
accept responsibility for the 2010 Mavi
Marmara flotilla incident — instead it
simply expressed regret for the end result.
The compensation
that Jerusalem is willing
to pay Turkish victims
of that incident is neg-
ligible when compared
to the potential scope
of economic benefits
Israel could reap from
renewed relations with
Professor
Turkey.
Eyal Zisser
Turkey, for its part,
Israel Hayom
has withdrawn all
its initial diplomatic
demands and is now willing to fully coop-
erate with Jerusalem within the window
that Israel has set for any international
body interested in providing humanitarian
aid to Gaza.
While the deal will not change any
world order in the region, nor will it set
off a honeymoon period between the two
countries, there is no doubt that the dip-
lomatic, security and economic benefits
both countries will gain as a result of
normalizing relations are worth so much
more than the price of compromise.
It is equally important to take note
of the big losers in this deal. This list
includes Iran, Hezbollah and even Hamas,
which failed in their efforts to turn the

Benjamin
Netanyahu

Recep Tayyip
Erdogan

crisis between Jerusalem and Ankara into
an unbridgeable rift and to turn the dip-
lomatic tension into a cold war that could
have devolved into political, economic or
even military conflict. Ultimately, Israel
succeeded in preventing this dangerous
possibility.
In this context, it’s important to note
that, contrary to what most Israelis
believe, Hamas is not in Ankara’s pocket
and does not blindly follow its dictates.
Likewise, the fact that Hamas has rep-
resentation in Moscow does not mean
that Russian President Vladimir Putin is
Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal’s master.
Ankara, Moscow and Riyadh are part
of a system of political backing sought out
by Hamas against which Israel must oper-
ate. All this means that Israel’s ability to
extract concessions from Hamas as part of
the deal with Turkey was limited or non-
existent to begin with.
Therefore, any talks or negotiations
with Hamas must be carried out directly
or through a mediator. There is no logic
in subordinating Israel’s regional relation-
ships to Mashaal and his fellow Hamas
leader Ismail Haniyeh.

STRATEGIC/ECONOMIC TIES
This deal will not take Israel and Turkey
back to the days of the strategic alliance
that existed between them about two

decades ago. But what it can do is redraw
the familiar Middle Eastern lines, dividing
those states and radical groups that share
a common hatred for Israel and moderate
states like Israel, Egypt and Turkey along-
side Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which engage
in strategic dialogue and even foster eco-
nomic ties and security cooperation.
The need for understandings between
Israel and Russia, Egypt and even Greece
and Cyprus, may have delayed the deal,
but they were essential to maintaining the
regional balance of power. In fact, Russia,
too, avoided cutting off relations with
Ankara after a Russian plane was brought
down by the Turkish army about a year
ago; and Greece even has an operational
embassy in the Turkish capital.
In other words, the normalization of
relations between Israel and Turkey is not
a process likely to damage Jerusalem’s ties
with its old and new friends in the region.
Yes, Egypt still views Turkey as a bitter
enemy and is not prepared to normalize
relations with it, but even Cairo is willing
to admit that the importance of the recon-
ciliation deal between Israel and Turkey
is less about Israeli-Turkish relations and
more about Turkey. Turkey can no longer
use the Israeli issue, in the name of Islam,
to impose its will on the Arab and Muslim
world.
From now on, Turkey must be conscious
of its limitations and its national interests,
which often require restraint and pragma-
tism and, moreover, also commit it to dia-
logue with Israel.

*

Professor Eyal Zisser is the vice rector of Tel Aviv
University and the holder of the Yona and Dina
Ettinger Chair in Contemporary History of the Middle
East. He was a visiting professor in Cornell University
and a visiting research fellow at the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy.

letters

Stories Highlight
Local Benefactors

How wonderful it is to read two articles in
the June 30 JN.
The dedication of the David Page
Butterfly Gardens in the Gabriel Richard
Park on the RiverWalk is overwhelming to
me (“On The Riverfront,” page 23). David
was an extraordinary person who always
greeted you by name and with a smile. His
vision for the RiverWalk (my favorite place
in the world) is an outstanding tribute to
his legacy. I only regret not spending more
time with him.
The incredible gift to the University of

6 July 7 • 2016

Michigan for cancer research by Sidney
and Madeline Forbes is breathtaking
(“Forbes’ $17.5 Million Gift To U-M To
Spur Cancer Research,” page 39). We are
making dramatic progress with cancer,
which touches all of our lives and perhaps
this gift will move us so much closer to
eradicating cancer.

Harvey Bronstein
Southfield

CORRECTIONS
• “Fond Farewell!” (June 30, page 21)
should have said that Southfield-Lathrup
High School alumna Renee Simlak’s moth-
er, Ann, died in 1998.
• “Cancer Thrivers Event To Bring

Oncology Expert,” (June 30, page 39)
should have identified Dr. Daniel Hayes
as president of the American Society of
Clinical Oncology.

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