Israel Plays Down Deterioration of Turkey-Israel Relationships

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Top Israeli diplomats¹ have to leave Turkey today as part of the diplomatic row over last year's deadly flotilla raid.

But as CRI's Jerusalem correspondent Xiao Yu report, the Israeli side is downplaying the strained ties between the two countries.

 
Ahead of Wednesday's expulsion of the Israeli diplomats from Ankara, the Israeli side has remained virtually silent on the matter.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, like many other Israeli officials, is trying to add a note of calm when it comes to their relationship with Turkey.

"Israel and Turkey are the two strongest nations in the Middle East and in many respects the most important. We have disputes, and even in the case of disputes, it's very important that the two sides use their brains and not act from the gut²."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also revealed that his government may impose more sanctions against Israel amid its refusal to apologize for last year's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

"By tomorrow, our mutual³ diplomatic relations will have been downgraded to the second secretary level. Trade relations and military relations have been suspended."

Erdogan hasn't specified⁴ what sort of sanctions they may bring down against Israel.

The Turkish side has promised tobe a strong lobby to try to help the Palestinians gain statehood at the next annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly later this month.

The Turkish Prime Minister is also considering visiting the Gaza Strip.

Turkey has already suspended its mutual defense⁵ projects and defense purchases from Israel.

Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer warned earlier this week that the consequences of a possible trade embargo⁶ by Turkey would be expensive for Israel.

For CRI, this is Xiaoyu from Jerusalem.