Posted on 01/15/2010 1:40:21 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The row between Turkey and Israel seems to be easing after an Israeli government official apologized for publicly humiliating Turkey's ambassador to Israel. Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, publicly apologized for a meeting Turkey's Ambassador to Israel Oguz Celikkol described as the most humiliating experience of his diplomatic career.
The row started when the Israeli foreign minister summoned Celikkol over a Turkish TV series perceived as anti-Semitic.
Ayalon made sure that the ambassador was placed lower than the Israeli officials, he refused to shake Celikkol's hand and ensured that Turkey's flag was not displayed. He even told the Israeli TV crew that the moves were intentional.
The Israeli diplomat said he was angry over the popular Turkish TV series "The Valley of the Wolves," which depicts Israeli soldiers killing civilians.
Turkey's President Abdullah Gul threatened to withdraw the ambassador if Israel didn't issue a satisfying apology.
Such followed Wednesday, when both Ayalon and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu apologized for the incident.
"My protest against the attacks on Israel in Turkey remains valid," the BBC quoted Ayalon as saying. "Nevertheless, it is not my way to disrespect ambassadors' honor and in the future I will clarify my position in a diplomatically acceptable manner."
Netanyahu said he hoped the apology would ease the diplomatic conflict. The incident had also been criticized within Israel.
"The prime minister feels that the protest issued to the Turkish ambassador was fundamentally correct but it should have been conveyed in the conventional diplomatic mode," said a statement issued by Netanyahu's office. Netanyahu, the BBC reports, "again expressed his concern over the cooling of the ties between Israel and Turkey
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
I’m pissed off about a tv show in your country, therefore I’m going to treat you like a turd.
Yup, that’s a good way to get cooperation.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
The deputy foreign minister needs to be re-assigned to new duties. Perhaps lead sweeper on a street sanitation crew.
“treat you like a turd?”
what an exaggeration.
If you think this is only about one TV show in Turkey you really aren’t paying attention. Turkey is falling to the Islamists fast.
“Ayalon made sure that the ambassador was placed lower than the Israeli officials, he refused to shake Celikkol’s hand and ensured that Turkey’s flag was not displayed. He even told the Israeli TV crew that the moves were intentional.”
What would you call that? Treating him like an ambassador?
You are correct. I do not pay attention to TV shows in Turkey. I don’t watch any here, either.
In any case, you don’t solve a problem by being an ass. You certainly don’t move Turkey back towards a pro west position by treating their ambassador poorly. The ambassador of any country is that country while you are dealing with him. How he’s treated is a reflection of how you wish to treat his entire country.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.