Turkey and Israel: Will There Be a Misstep in Their Diplomatic Dance?

Turkey: Manoeuvring Against Israel Over Palestine
Shifting Alliances: The Israel-Turkey-Syria Triangle

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The complex dance between Ankara and Tel Aviv --- how does one keep in step on vital economic and military ties when there are so many tricky political issues to negotiate? --- continues.

On Monday, the military relationship got a symbolic and real boost with Turkish, Israeli, and American participation in the annual Reliant Mermaid search-and-rescue naval exercise in the Mediterranean. On the other hand, the Turkish Government’s criticism of Israel policies, pursued in part for domestic political benefits, has not come to an end.

Last week Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Israel would no longer be a part of Turkish-mediated talks with Syria. Ayalon added that this was not because of Ankara's "failure” but because of Syria’s “intransigence”, but this was not enough for Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Davutoglu said this week that the time has come for Israel to openly display its will for peace, if it has any such intentions.

The daily manipulations and challenges in diplomatic circles continue to overshadow the strong links between the security institutions of Turkey and Israel. So a vital question emerges, beyond Ankara's domestic calculations. If Israel continues to pursue policies at odds with Turkey's manoeuvres with Middle East states, which gives way: Ankara's hopes for expansion of influence in the region or its economic-military bonds with the country hindering that grand strategy?

Israel and Sweden: When Democracies Fight

UPDATE 1300 GMT: The Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, spreads his message by Twitter: "Calling on the Swedish government to strongly condemn these accusations"

Warning lights are blinking for the diplomatic relationship between Sweden and Israel. First, the "shocking" news came from a Swedish court in April that an Egyptian-born Palestinian found guilty of terror attacks against U.S. and Jewish targets in the 1980s could have his life sentence commuted to a 30-year prison term.

Then, on 4 August, Sweden criticized the State of Israel via the Swedish President of the European Union said, "The presidency of the European Union reiterates its serious concerns about the continued and unacceptable evictions in east Jerusalem, notably the evictions by Israeli authorities of two families….House demolitions, evictions and settlement activities in east Jerusalem are illegal under international law."

After the release of the report of the Jerusalem-based conservative NGO Monitor criticising “Swedish government funding for radical NGOs under the guise of human rights and humanitarian aid", eyes returned to Stockholm when the Swedish government declared on August 12 that 50 million Kronor ($6.9 million) would be given to the Palestinian Authority to help pay wages and pensions of local officials.

And that is not the end of the story. On Tuesday, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz printed Donald Boström’s claim, from his article in Sweden's largest daily newspaper, the left-leaning Aftonbladet, that Israeli soldiers are abducting Palestinians to steal their organs:

"Our sons are used as involuntary organ donors," relatives of Khaled from Nablus said to me, as did the mother of Raed from Jenin as well as the uncles of Machmod and Nafes from Gaza, who all had disappeared for a few days and returned by night, dead and autopsied.

Israeli diplomatic circles reacted with fury. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Yigal Palmor called the newspaper's decision to publish "a mark of disgrace": "In a democratic country, there should be no place for dark blood libels out of the Middle Ages of this type….This is an article that shames Swedish democracy and the entire Swedish press."

There has been no reaction from the Swedish Government to the latest Israeli statements.

Israel: The Indictment of Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman

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Last week, Israeli police recommended that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman be indicted on criminal charges. According to the police, there is sufficient evidence that Lieberman took bribes, fraudulently received goods, violated the duties of his public office, obstructed justice, harassed witnesses, and laundered millions of shekels using a host of shell companies and bank accounts. Furthermore, according to a police source, Lieberman contacted witnesses during the investigation despite being told not to do so.
The case was passed to state prosecutors and to Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz. On the same day, Lieberman issued a statement, claiming that the police's decision was without foundation and that he was the victim of political persecution:

For 13 years the police have conducted a campaign of persecution against me. There was not one real reason to open an investigation against me. I hope that, as opposed to the police, the other law enforcement bodies will act with reason, without political interests and without prejudice, and will not try to justify the longest political investigation in the history of the state.

One day later, Lieberman told a meeting of his party, Israel Beiteinu, that he would resign as Foreign Minister and party leader if Mazuz pressed charges. He added, “I'm happy that after great efforts and an appeal to the High Court of Justice, the investigation at least has reached its conclusion, and I hope the State Attorney's Office will supply a swift answer."

According to The Jerusalem Post, the Attorney General could take at least two months to issue an indictment. In the event of Lieberman's  resignation, the post of Foreign Minister will likely go to his deputy, Danny Ayalon, who is also a high-ranking official in Israel Beitenu.