Israel to Turkey: "We must make an effort to repair friendship"

Oct 29, 2009, 23:28 GMT

Tel Aviv - Israel must 'look ahead' in its relations with Turkey and 'both must make an effort to repair their friendship', Israeli Industry, Trade and Labour Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said Thursday in the Israeli ceremony of Turkey's National Day.

Israel and Turkey must make 'the utmost of efforts to put the train of our friendship back on track,' Ben-Eliezer said in the residence of the Turkish ambassador, in Kfar Shmaryahu in central Israel.

Amid tensions between Israel and Turkey after sharp criticism by the Turkish government of Israeli actions during the three-week Gaza war last winter, Ben-Eliezer insisted on the need to preserve their 'strategic partnership.'

'Israel must look ahead with the understanding that its relationship with Turkey will continue,' he said.

Ben-Eliezer was the only representative of the Israeli government to attend the celebration the 86th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, with Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman conspicuously absent.

The crisis between two countries started earlier this month when Turkey pulled out of a NATO military exercise due to Israeli participation. Relations deteriorated further after a Turkish TV station aired a fictional drama showing soldiers of the Israeli Defence Forces intentionally shooting children in the Gaza war.

Israel considers Turkey one of its most important Muslim allies in an otherwise hostile region. The two countries have enjoyed close military cooperation, but relations have cooled since Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-conservative AKP party won elections in 2002.

'Our relations with Turkey, a founding member of NATO, a regional superpower and possibly a future member of the European Union, are very important,' Ben-Eliezer said.

Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, Turkish ambassador to Israel, emphasized Turkey's regional role.

'I believe our relations are very important,' he said, 'but it's also important to understand our role in the world and Turkey's impact on the region.'