MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

“Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has decided to adopt a series of harsh measures in response to Turkey’s latest anti-Israeli moves, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday.

Senior Foreign Ministry officials convened Thursday to prepare for a meeting to be held Saturday with Lieberman on the matter. Saturday’s session will be dedicated to discussing Israel’s response to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent threats and his decision to downgrade Ankara’s diplomatic ties with Jerusalem.

Following Thursday’s meeting, officials assessed that Turkey is not interested in an Israeli apology at this time and prefers to exploit the dispute with Jerusalem in order to promote Ankara’s status in the Muslim world. Lieberman therefore decided there was no point in seeking creative formulas for apologizing, instead choosing to focus Israel’s efforts on punishing Turkey.

The Foreign Ministry has now decided to proceed with the formulation of a diplomatic and security “toolbox” to be used against the Turks. The first move would be to issue a travel warning urging all Israeli military veterans to refrain from traveling to Turkey. The advisory will be especially harsh as it will also urge Israelis to refrain from boarding connections in Turkey.

Another planned Israeli move is the facilitation of cooperation with Turkey’s historic rivals, the Armenians. During Lieberman’s visit to the United States this month, the foreign minister is expected to meet with leaders of the Armenian lobby and propose anti-Turkish cooperation in Congress.

The implication of this move could be Israeli assistance in promoting international recognition of the Armenian holocaust, a measure that would gravely harm Turkey. Israel may also back Armenia in its dispute vis-à-vis Turkey over control of Mount Ararat.

‘Turkey better show respect’

Lieberman is also planning to set meetings with the heads of Kurdish rebel group PKK in Europe in order to “cooperate with them and boost them in every possible area.” In these meetings, the Kurds may ask Israel for military aid in the form of training and arms supplies, a move that would constitute a major anti-Turkish position should it materialize.” Read more.

Turkish president calls Israel ‘ungrateful burden’ – “Turkish President Abdullah Gül said on Thursday that Israel is an ungrateful burden to its allies, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported. On his way to a multicultural conference in Russia, Gül accused Israel of offering to apologize four times for the Mavi Marmara incident, but then reneging each time. According to the Turkish president, Israel should consider an ‘honorable peace’ with its Arab neighbors and stop acting as if the world, especially Turkey, owes it favors, the report said.” Read more.

Turkey flexes muscle against Israel in bid to become leading power in the Middle East and North Africa – “ISTANBUL—Turkey is showing signs of trading its vaunted ‘zero problems with neighbors’ foreign policy for a more muscular approach to its bid to become the leading power in the Middle East and North Africa. The shift, analysts and diplomats say, could trigger clashes with Israel and force Washington to choose between its closest allies in the region. In recent weeks the policy change has been on display as Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to deploy his country’s navy in a dispute with Israel…” Read more.