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Netanyahu Apology Short-Sighted
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/03/28/netanyahu-apology-short-sighted/
Michael Rubin | @mrubin197103.28.2013 - 10:30 AM
Jonathan Tobin is absolutely right to dampen optimism regarding the
restoration of Turkey-Israel ties following Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's apology for the botched interception of the Mavi
Marmara. Make no mistake, the apology is a disaster. Not only will it
not lead to a revival of Israel-Turkey ties, but it will'in the long
run'make them worse. Netanyahu has affirmed Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's strategy. Wishful thinking'be it Ariel Sharon's
withdrawal from Gaza or Ehud Barak's withdrawal from southern
Lebanon'does not bring peace so long as enemies believe that terrorism
or, in ErdoÄ?an's case, its facilitation and his support, has paid
dividends.
ErdoÄ?an is a deeply ideological man who, at his core, does not believe
Israel should exist. It is a mistake for Turkey-watchers to dismiss
ErdoÄ?an's rants, most recently hisdescription of Zionism as a crime
against humanity, as merely posturing for his central Anatolian base.
Projection is perhaps the most corrosive mistake in which any analyst
can engage. Incitement is not simply a strategy; sometimes, it truly
is heartfelt. Just as with Yasir Arafat. And Khaled Meshaal. And
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. And Mohammad Khatami. And Kim Jong-un.
ErdoÄ?an's temper-tantrums may make him look like a buffoon in Western
eyes, but he is a man deeply consumed by a sense of grievance. This is
why he has sued political cartoonists for little more sin than
depicting him as a cat tangled in a ball of string. Stacked courts
ensure he wins his cases, and bolster his sense of righteousness.
Every time he engages in brinkmanship, he finds himself rewarded.
What's next in Turkey-Israel relations? Certainly not rapprochement.
By paying compensation to the families of those killed on the Mavi
Marmara, Netanyahu is effectively funding terrorists. The Mavi Marmara
had one purpose: supplying Hamas. After all, the health of Gazans is
generally better than that of Turks. The Turkish press is arguing that
the lifting of the Gaza blockade'irrespective of Hamas' actions'is now
looming.
What's ErdoÄ?an's next step? He has announced that he will soon go to
Gaza during which trip he will renew his calls for lifting the
blockade and enjoy Hamas treating him like a conquering hero. Already,
the Palestinian Authority is nervous over how ErdoÄ?an might bolster
its terrorist brethren. Make no mistake: It's not just Obama to blame
for what comes next. Netanyahu could always have said no.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2013/03/28/netanyahu-apology-short-sighted/
Michael Rubin | @mrubin197103.28.2013 - 10:30 AM
Jonathan Tobin is absolutely right to dampen optimism regarding the
restoration of Turkey-Israel ties following Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's apology for the botched interception of the Mavi
Marmara. Make no mistake, the apology is a disaster. Not only will it
not lead to a revival of Israel-Turkey ties, but it will'in the long
run'make them worse. Netanyahu has affirmed Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's strategy. Wishful thinking'be it Ariel Sharon's
withdrawal from Gaza or Ehud Barak's withdrawal from southern
Lebanon'does not bring peace so long as enemies believe that terrorism
or, in ErdoÄ?an's case, its facilitation and his support, has paid
dividends.
ErdoÄ?an is a deeply ideological man who, at his core, does not believe
Israel should exist. It is a mistake for Turkey-watchers to dismiss
ErdoÄ?an's rants, most recently hisdescription of Zionism as a crime
against humanity, as merely posturing for his central Anatolian base.
Projection is perhaps the most corrosive mistake in which any analyst
can engage. Incitement is not simply a strategy; sometimes, it truly
is heartfelt. Just as with Yasir Arafat. And Khaled Meshaal. And
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. And Mohammad Khatami. And Kim Jong-un.
ErdoÄ?an's temper-tantrums may make him look like a buffoon in Western
eyes, but he is a man deeply consumed by a sense of grievance. This is
why he has sued political cartoonists for little more sin than
depicting him as a cat tangled in a ball of string. Stacked courts
ensure he wins his cases, and bolster his sense of righteousness.
Every time he engages in brinkmanship, he finds himself rewarded.
What's next in Turkey-Israel relations? Certainly not rapprochement.
By paying compensation to the families of those killed on the Mavi
Marmara, Netanyahu is effectively funding terrorists. The Mavi Marmara
had one purpose: supplying Hamas. After all, the health of Gazans is
generally better than that of Turks. The Turkish press is arguing that
the lifting of the Gaza blockade'irrespective of Hamas' actions'is now
looming.
What's ErdoÄ?an's next step? He has announced that he will soon go to
Gaza during which trip he will renew his calls for lifting the
blockade and enjoy Hamas treating him like a conquering hero. Already,
the Palestinian Authority is nervous over how ErdoÄ?an might bolster
its terrorist brethren. Make no mistake: It's not just Obama to blame
for what comes next. Netanyahu could always have said no.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress