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Turkey’s attempt to approach with Israel – strategic action

Türkiye Materials 24 December 2015 20:25 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 24

By Anakhanum Khidayatova - Trend:

Turkey's attempt to restore the ties with Israel amid the deterioration of relations with Russia is rather a tactical action of Ankara, rather than strategic, Ariel Ben Solomon, Middle East Correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, PhD at the Israeli Bar-Ilan University, told Trend Dec. 23.

After the relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated in November because of the downed Russian military aircraft, the Turkish media reported that Turkey and Israel will resume the previous relations.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu even confirmed the secret talks with Israel. But Israeli Prime Minister announced about the possibility of supplying the Israeli gas to Turkey and called it a factor that can change the relations between the two countries.

Ben Solomon is skeptical about the possibility of restoring the relations between Turkey and Israel.

He believes that the negotiations between the sides can be ineffective, as before.

While speaking about the possibility of cooperation between Turkey and Israel in the field of energy, the expert said that the Israeli gas supplies to Europe via Turkey are unprofitable for Tel Aviv, as it can become dependent on Ankara for long years.

"Turkey's current attempt to restore relations with Israel is a temporary phenomenon," he said. "Sooner or later Ankara will return to its Islamist ideology that would cause tension in relations with Tel Aviv."

However, the expert stressed that it would be advantageous for Israel and Turkey to cooperate in the field of security and intelligence.

"It would be advantageous for Israel to approach with an anti-Iranian alliance as part of Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia," he said. "These countries' support will create problems for the radicals."

Israel's gas reserves, according to various estimates, reach up to 1 trillion cubic meters.
Some 620 billion account for Leviathan field, commissioned in 2013, Tamar - 303 billion, 58 billion cubic meters - two smaller fields.

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