Azerbaijan, Baku, July 7 / Trend U. Sadikhova /
Preventing of the break of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel can become a major topic at a meeting of U.S President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday in Washington, Western and Turkish experts said.
"The meeting between Obama and Netanyahu can be a turning point in Turkish-Israeli relations, the preservation of which is very important for the U.S. Turkey remains the only friendly country for Israel and plays a major role in establishing peace with Arab neighbors, " Turkish Centre for International Relations and Strategic Analysis (USAD), Celal Cem Oguz told Trend.
The meeting between Obama - Netanyahu was held in in Washington on Tuesday amid threats of severing diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey.
It was to be held June 1 but was postponed because of the incident with the "Freedom flotilla".
The Israeli commandos intercepted six vessels with human rights activists and humanitarian goods moving to Gaza May 31. The victims of the operation, galvanized world opinion, were nine Turkish citizens and dozens injured.
Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv and reduced military cooperation that exists between the countries for decades. It called on Israel to officially make excuses for the killing of their citizens and compensate their families.
On Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister warned Israel that, if the demands are not met, Ankara will break diplomatic relations. The Israeli government refused.
Experts believe that this development is unprofitable for Washington, for which both countries are main military and strategic allies in the Middle East. So, Obama will not allow a break in diplomatic relations.
Cem Oguz said that perhaps, President Obama will put pressure on Netanyahu on the issues which are important for a truce in the region, including the conflict with Turkey.
According to Israeli media, Israeli and U.S leaders will discuss restarting of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the cessation of settlement activity in the West Bank and Iran's nuclear program.
U.S president Obama will try to remove tensions between countries that are major U.S. allies in the region along with progress in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, British analyst on the Middle East, Lecturer in international history, London School of Economics and Political Science, Kirsten Schulze said.
"Both Turkey and the U.S are important for the U.S. Both parts are actually in triangle system, it is not just about bilateral Turkey Israel relations. It is about Turkish Israeli U.S relations. And because the U.S is a part of this, it will not break down," Schulze said.
She said that the relations between Turkey and Israel will be reduced in the short-term prospect, given the demands of Turkey and refusal of Netanyahu's government to meet them, but the U.S. will not allow this to lead to the final rupture.
Perhaps, the progress in resolving the conflict with Turkey will move faster than a problem with the settlements, which Washington regards as an obstacle to the peace process because Israel wins from the strategic alliance with Turkey, Schulze said.
Her view is shared by Hugh Pope, Turkey/ Cyprus program, International Crisis Group, director who believes that the further course of events will determine the outcome of the meeting between Netanyahu and Obama in Washington.
"The U.S has two major allies in the Middle East - Turkey and Israel and they have different qualities but both are important to the US. Of course Obama will try to cancel the tensions between the two sides," Pope said.
The scandal between the two allies can lead to negative consequences in the Middle East. There is no progress in the truce, Pope said.
Turkish analyst Cem Oguz also believes that the split of Turkish-Israeli alliance is not profitable for the region as a whole, and especially for the countries themselves.
"Israel may lose more, but Turkey could lose a lot," the expert said.
I think that Israeli officials will respond to the new UN human rights commission. This is a possibility. This is sensible thing for Israel to do in order to deescalate the situation with Turkey right now, because Israel will not apologize, the Israeli-Palestinian Center for Research and Information head Gershon Baskin said.
"It would be a reasonable step for Israel to put an end to this situation. The relationship of Israel and Turkey will not be severed completely, " Baskin told Trend.
He said that even if diplomatic contacts are ceased, the economic relations will continue because of its $3 billion turnover.