International resonance for "Israel Today" reveals that Ankara is ready to send ambassador to Tel Aviv • Turkish commentator: "Knesset election results are cause for concern"
Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv
Photo:
Coco
The exposure of "Israel Today" regarding the Turkish message to Israel that Ankara is ready to send, once again, an ambassador to Tel Aviv in exchange for the return of an Israeli ambassador to Ankara - has led to resonance in Turkey in particular and the Middle East in general, including al-Arabiya and al-Haddad.
While the Turkish state media maintained complete silence, the opposition media "Ahwal" and "Dobar" covered the publication extensively.
At the same time, the Jewish community's Shalom newspaper reported on the article.
There was widespread coverage in the Palestinian media, as the presence of senior Hamas figures in Istanbul is the main bone of contention facing normalization of relations.
Al-Quds reported in foreign media reports on the recent number of meetings between the head of the Turkish Intelligence Agency (MIT), Kan Fidan, and senior Israeli officials.
According to the same reports, the parties discussed the common interests in Syria, as well as other issues.
On the Turkish side, the main concern is the political instability in Israel.
"The results of the elections to the 24th Knesset may affect the normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel, which has been long awaited," political commentator and researcher Gokhan Chinkara from "Independent Turkey" told Israel Today.
"There is no doubt that Israeli political instability affects the issue of relations between the two countries, which are unstable and probably will not be," he said.
Cincara noted that "the high-level relationship between the two countries should not depend on geopolitical changes, but should adapt to what is happening."
Azerbaijan has been involved for many months in the mediation effort between its two companies, Israel and Turkey.
"We have worked and are still working to bridge our two strategic partners, Israel and Turkey," a senior Baku official told Israel Today, adding: "We will be very happy if the move matures into an ambassador exchange between Ankara and Jerusalem."
Another strategic partner of Turkey is Qatar, and some believe that Ankara may help Jerusalem normalize relations with Doha.
"Turkey can play a key role in the dialogue between the two countries," French-Moroccan commentator Hamid Sharit told Israel Today.
"In 2005, Turkish-Israeli foreign ministers met in Istanbul with Turkish mediation," he adds. "In 2008, Turkey even tried to renew the peace process between Israel and Syria."
Sharit concludes that "if Turkey took advantage of its ties with Islamabad, Damascus and Tel Aviv to try to promote rapprochement between them, then it could also be done against Iran and Qatar."