IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi has returned to Israel after attending a NATO counterterrorist conference in Turkey as part of the first visit by a Chief of Staff to Ankara since 2005. The visit coincided with a severe deterioration in diplomatic relations between Ankara and Jerusalem.
“There is no need to state the importance of links between Israel and Turkey,” Ashkenazi said after being received by his counterpart, Gen. Ilker Basbug. “I participated in a seminar on the subject of the war against terror, and the level of cooperation between Turkey and us is excellent."
Ashkenazi also met with Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. Turkish-Israeli strategic ties were strong until last year, and changed following the Operation Cast Lead war against the Hamas terrorist regime in Gaza.
Last October, Turkey abruptly pulled out of international aerial maneuvers with Israeli that were to take place over Turkish airspace.
Two months ago, Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited Turkey in an effort to ease tensions after Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon purposely seated the Turkish ambassador to Israel in a low chair and removed the Turkish flag from the table during a meeting. Ayalon’s actions were in protest of a Turkish television series that depicted Israeli intelligence agents as child kidnappers.