Turkey-Israel Relations during theJustice and Development Party Era

In this study, the relations of the two countries, which define themselves as secular and democratic in a conflictual geography such as the Middle East and have different ethnic origins from the Arab identity in the region, are discussed in terms of the AK Party period. When we need to look at the historical background, Turkey is the first Muslim majority country that recognized Israel. Moreover, Turkey is one of the few countries located in the Middle East which did not go to war against Israel. By regarding these facts, it is interesting to see how relations between Turkey and Israel came to its current level. It was tried to emphasize in the study that the leading causes of the crises with the AK Party and Israel were not only the Palestinian Issue. In particular, some of the doctrines that Davutoğlu put forward for Turkish Foreign Policyduring the process between the Prime Ministry Advisory Office and the Prime Minister s Office have been negatively perceivedby Israel. Within the scope of these doctrines, relations developed with Muslim actors in the Middle East are undoubtedly linked to a wide range of crises in Turkey-Israel relations such as Mavi Marmara. Also, unlike the previous governments, AK Party s harsh rhetoric, which used by Turkish decision-makers, especially after 2007, against Israel has triggered diplomatic tensions in Turkey-Israel relations. Undoubtedly, the AK Party s approach to Israel with a more conservative identity over the years is thought to have had an impact on these discourses. Undoubtedly, the AK Party s approach to Israel with a more conservative identity over the years is believed to have affected these discourses. The AK Party has demonstrated its pro-active actions to support the Palestinian people at every opportunity. Israel, on the other hand, acted realistically and viewed the AK Party s foreign policies as an intervention in its domestic policy. Israel did not hesitate to take the crisis to a higher level with its diplomatic moves against the harsh rhetoric of the AK Party as well. The loneliness and victimized state psychology of Israel after four major Arab-Israeli wars are undoubtedly influential in this attitude of Israel. However, it should not be concluded that relations between the two countries suddenly deteriorated. As a matter of fact, in the deterioration of relationships, it has grown and matured in specific periods. For example, the AK Party has developed relations with actors such as Hamas in line with its pro-active policy in the Middle East. Secondly, the atrocities towards the Palestinian people were sharply criticized by the AK Party at every opportunity in the international arena. These policies have seriously disturbed Israel and continue to do so. In a short period, all of these affairs brought the heads of the two countries to the point where they could use dangerous discourses like Hitler, terrorist, and genocide.