Azerbaijan, Baku, Han. 28 / corr Trend U.Sadikhova /
Experts believe toughening position of the Turkish government with regard to Israel due to the Palestinian problem contributed increase of anti-Semitic ideas in Turkey, because tension in the relations of the two military allies is linked to political changes in the Middle East.
"I don't think there is strong anti-Semitism in Turkey. I think that in fact we are seeing is quite political. [However,] . I do not think that country [Turkey] itself has anti-Semitic or antijewish Islam," Hugh Pope, head of the International Crisis Group Program on Turkish and Cyprus policy study, told Trend over telephone from Istanbul
On Tuesday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published a report of the International Center for Political Studies under the Foreign Ministry of Israel, according to which anti-Israeli statements by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan have contributed to the growth of anti-Semitism in Turkish society.
The report became a kind of assessment of the Israeli-Turkish relations after a loud diplomatic scandal around insulting the Turkish ambassador to Tel Aviv by the deputy foreign minister of Israel
Israel was described as anti-Semitic scenes in the Turkish film "Valley of the Wolves" and demanded an explanation from the Turkish Ambassador Oguz Chelikkol. And though Israel apologized for the insult at the meeting with Chelikkola, in the report, however, indicated that Ankara crossed the "red line" in relations with Israel.
The authors of the report see the main source of friction in anti-Israel statements by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan because of military actions in Gaza and the continuing blockade of the enclave by the Israeli authorities.
"Erdogan has started to spread negative opinions about Israel in Turkish society through endless conversations about the suffering of the Palestinian people and the accusations against Israel," seven-page report said.
Its authors believe that with his actions, Erdogan "indirectly incites or encourages" anti-Semitism in Turkey, although he has repeatedly described anti-Semitism as an international crime.
However, Turkish analysts do not share this opinion.
According to Hilmi Ozev, an expert on Middle East policy, anti-Semitist ideas exist in Turkey, whilst it cannot be regarded as general political flow in the Turkish government.
"It won't be right to consider the anti-Semitist ideas or anti-Jewish spirits part of Turkey's national policy, because if to view AKP's national viewpoints in root, we will not reveal anti-Semitism," Ozev, a researcher at the Turkish-Asian Centre for Strategic Researches (TASAM) told Trend over telephone. Turkish policy has never supported anti-Semitist ideas and never used them.
Meanwhile, Hasan Kanbolat, Head of Turkish Center for Middle East Researches (ORSAM), agrees with him, saying that despite ongoing Arab-Israeli war, leaders of Muslim countries do not hold anti-Semitist views.
"Indeed, turkey might have ideas of anti-Semitism, whilst it does not appear on the state or national level," Canbolat told Trend over telephone from Ankara.
For instance, despite Israel occupied Syrian territory - Golan Heights, Syria sill has Jewish community.
Pope thinks it is not correct to accuse Turkey's ruling party of worsening relations with Israel, because even before Erdogan's accession to power the previous governments in Turkey accused Israel for policy with regard to Palestinians.
In fact, according to Pope, predecessors of Justice and Development Party came tougher towards Israel, for example, recalled the diplomats because of Israeli policies in the peace process.
"Turkish governments, whatever nationalists, kamalists [supporters of secularism], have always condemned Israel for a position in Palestinian issue," Pope said.
Development of the Turkish-Israeli relations, the analyst said, coincided to progress in the Arab-Israeli peace process, when peace dialogue was launched under the agreements in Oslo.
Turkish analyst Ozev believes the Israeli policy on conflict with Arabs after the establishment of Jewish state gave birth to appearance of anti-Jewish spirit in the region, whilst it has been propagandized in large scale.
"Even if the Turkish government is replaced, tension with Israel will be kept, as Israeli policy undermines a dynamic of establishment of stability in the region," Ozev said.
However, observers see the cause of the accusations of the Turkish leadership of anti-Semitism in the current changes in the political situation in the Middle East, which may be contrary to the interests of Israel.
According to Ozev, following the increased U.S. interests on Central Asian countries, China and Russia, Washington wants to put a burden of resolving the Israeli-Palestinian problems on the regional countries. Such country is Turkey, given the resistance between Arabs and Israel.
"Turkey has left behind Israel by one step in the region, which Israeli authorities find to hard to reconcile and make such statements," Ozev said. Israel understands the importance of maintaining the military cooperation and relations with Turkey as a guarantee for security in the region.
Both countries confirmed their adherence to military cooperation, while during Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barack's visit to Ankara last week the sides signed a new agreement on purchase of Israeli robot places, though in autumn Erdogan refused from joint military exercises of NATO due to participation of Israeli air forces.
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