During the week that President Herzog is visiting Turkey, in what appears to be the beginning of the restoration of the very disrupted relations between the two countries, Erdogan and Bennett found themselves undecided in the face of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The dilemma: how to identify with the assailant without angering the intruder?
The solution: offer to mediate between Moscow and Kiev in an attempt to stop the war.
Erdogan has an even greater interest than Bennett in the success of the mediation, and not just because of his country's geographical proximity to the war zones.
Turkey is a member of the NATO alliance, but also depends mainly on Russia, as well as Ukraine, on supplies of wheat, natural gas and millions of tourists a year. .
But it is possible that the deeper involvement of the Turks in this crisis, on both sides of the barricade, makes Ankara, even further from Jerusalem, a more convenient place for a meeting of representatives from Russia and Ukraine, hoping to help end the crisis.
This does not mean that Bennett was wrong when he also offered the services of the Israeli government, after receiving from all the players, as he put it, including the Americans, the blessing of the road to mediation.
If it fails - no damage is done.
If he succeeds, and the chances of that are not great, he will buy himself international status.
Under the red carpet
There is, of course, no direct link between the common interest of Turkey and Israel in stopping the war in Ukraine and Erdogan's decision to lay a red carpet at Herzog's feet, which will arrive in Ankara tomorrow (Wednesday).
Over the past year, the Turkish president has signaled in almost every possible way that he is interested in improving diplomatic relations with Israel, which deteriorated to a low point with the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador about four years ago.
He has already spoken with Herzog three times, at least once with Foreign Minister Lapid, and more than once hinted at his desire to get the ambassador and relations back on track.
The official reasoning in Ankara is that the reversal of the trend is related to the change of government in Israel and the fact that "there is now someone to talk to."
But the reasons for the change are much deeper.
A year and a bit before the June 2023 presidential election, Turkey is in one of the most difficult periods under Erdogan's rule.
The Turkish economy is crashing with 48 percent inflation and a shortage of basic goods.
Prices of fuel, gas and electricity doubled, and the local currency lost half its value.
Turkey feels isolated between the countries of the region, and its relations with the United States are poor.
To get out of this predicament, Erdogan needs Israel, mainly to talk about Biden's heart to renew the evasive deal, which was canceled after he purchased Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile batteries, and in general to help him repair ties with Washington that ran aground.
Israel has no reason to reject the hand outstretched from Ankara and oppose a full renewal of relations.
This is on the condition that no one deceives himself that Erdogan changed his skin and became from a devout Islamist to a Zionist, and a sworn supporter of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood to a friend of Israel.
He is a rigid ideologue, who in the next conflict in Gaza, Jerusalem or Judea and Samaria will once again turn on us and return to accuse us of killing innocent Palestinian children.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
