Erdogan `Hates' Israel in WikiLeaks Disclosure of U.S.-Turkey Discussions
Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
Erdogan has been critical of Israel since its military operation in Gaza that began in December 2008, which the Turkish premier called “a crime against humanity.”
Erdogan has been critical of Israel since its military operation in Gaza that began in December 2008, which the Turkish premier called “a crime against humanity.” Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg
U.S. and Israeli diplomats agreed that the increasingly strained relationship between Turkey and Israel derives mostly from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s hatred of the Jewish state, according to embassy cables posted by WikiLeaks.org.
Israeli Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy described Erdogan as a “fundamentalist” who “hates us religiously” in a 2009 meeting with U.S. Ambassador James F. Jeffrey in Ankara, according to a cable sent from the U.S. embassy on Oct. 27 that year and released by WikiLeaks.
“Our discussions with contacts both inside and outside of the Turkish government on Turkey’s deteriorating relations with Israel tend to confirm Levy’s thesis that Erdogan simply hates Israel,” the U.S. embassy said.
Erdogan has been critical of Israel since its military operation in Gaza that began in December 2008, which the Turkish premier called “a crime against humanity.” Ties reached a low after Israeli commandos killed nine Turks in a raid on an aid ship headed for the Gaza Strip in May.
Levy said he was urged by Turkish officials to put up with Erdogan’s criticisms of Israel since they were “for domestic political consumption,” and received a message from Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu telling him that “things will get better,” according to the cable.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor declined to comment on the document. Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the WikiLeaks publications are under examination and it’s too early to comment.
Deborah Guido, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, declined to comment on the documents. She said diplomatic cables usually represent “candid assessments” reflecting the writer’s own views that are often rapidly overtaken by events.
To contact the reporter responsible for this story: Benjamin Harvey at Bharvey11@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem at phirschberg@bloomberg.net.
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