Israel’s Foreign Ministry accused Turkish leader of fueling anti-Semitism in latest row

Israel: Turkish leader fuels anti-Semitism

JERUSALEM — The Israeli Foreign Ministry accused Turkey’s prime minister of fueling anti-Semitism with his criticism of Israel, officials said Tuesday, threatening to spark a new diplomatic row with one its few Muslim allies.

The report comes weeks after Israel’s deputy foreign minister enraged Turkey by summoning Ankara’s ambassador for a humiliating public reprimand. It said the reprimand made it clear to Turkey that there must be a limit to its criticism.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon summoned Ambassador Ahmet Oguz Celikkol to protest a Turkish TV show depicting Israeli agents as cruel, and refused to shake his hand while making him to sit on a low sofa.

Israel was forced to apologize after Turkey threatened to recall the ambassador.

The new report concluded that Turkey viewed the incident as a “severe blow” to its pride — but added that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had gone overboard in his repeated criticism of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.

“The way the crisis was handled by top Turkish officials, including Erdogan, could indicate that Turkey understands that they have crossed a red line and the outer limits of the Israeli government’s patience,” added the report.

Excerpts of the report were published in the Haaretz daily and confirmed by an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing a confidential document.

Erdogan, who leads an Islamic-oriented government, has repeatedly condemned last year’s Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The report accused Erdogan of using anti-Semitic language in his rhetoric and creating “negative public opinion” toward Israel.

“He does this by repeating motifs in his speeches of describing the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and blaming Israel of committing war crimes, going as far as using anti-Semitic expressions and incitement,” the report said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu rejected the charge. “To criticize Israel is not anti-Semitism,” he told independent NTV television. “Criticism of Israel’s policies should not be given other meanings.” He called on Israel to lift its blockade of Gaza.

Israel and Turkey have forged close military and economic ties in recent decades. Turkey has given Israel a rare ally in the Muslim world, while for Ankara the alliance has boosted its standing with the West.

Last year, the Turks mediated several rounds of indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria.

The alliance, however, has become strained since Erdogan’s party came to power in 2002 — and particularly since the Gaza war.

Some 1,400 Palestinians were killed, including about 900 civilians, according to Palestinian and international human rights groups. Israel, which launched the operation to halt years of Hamas rocket attacks, says the militant group caused civilian casualties by hiding in residential areas.

In a sign of the poor relations, Israeli officials said this week that Israeli tourism to Turkey has plummeted about 45 percent over the past year. Tourism officials said 300,000 Israelis went to Turkey last year, compared with 560,000 in 2008. Turkey had been a popular destination for Israelis, attracted by low prices and the convenience of a 90-minute flight.

Some Israeli labor unions have even declared boycotts, choosing alternative destinations for organized group trips.

Yossi Fattal, head of the Israel Tourist and Travel Agents Association, said politics and tourism are inextricably linked.

“This is not only about political differences, but something more basic, about the personal relationship between the countries,” he said. “Unless something meaningful is said by the (Turkish) government, the drop in numbers will continue.”

Basaran Ulusoy, president of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, said he was not concerned about the boycott calls and was confident tourists would return.

“Both countries need each other and tourism has always remained outside political relations,” he said.

AP correspondent Shira Rubin contributed to this report.