MembersANALYSIS: Why Turkish Tyrant Erdogan is Reaching Out to Israel

Erdogan is less interested in true rapprochement between Turkey and Israel than he is with reestablishing the Ottoman Empire

By Yochanan Visser | | Topics: Turkey
Even as his own nation suffers, Erdogan's jihadist ambitions have won him the hearts and minds of Islamists across the region. Photo: Uri lenz/FLASH90

After Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas called newly sworn-in Israeli President Isaac Herzog and suddenly expressed his desire for peace with Israel last week, now Turkey’s strongman President Recep Tayyip Erdogan phoned Herzog to tell him he wants better relations with Israel, too. This after Erdogan effectively cut ties with Israel and bashed the Jewish state on every occasion.

Now, however, Erdogan discussed with Herzog “the high potential for cooperation in the field of energy, tourism and technology” between Israel and Turkey, according to a statement by Erdogan’s office.

Is this coincidence, or is there something else at play? After all, both Erdogan and Abbas didn’t call the new Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett after he assumed office more than a month ago, and the same week Abbas called Herzog he went to Ankara to meet with Erdogan.

 

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