Two similar personalities finally come together again after years of sparring.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Turkey and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have had several meetings and interactions in recent times:
- Meeting in New York: In September 2023, President Erdoğan and Prime Minister Netanyahu met in New York on the sidelines of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly. This meeting took place at the Turkish House in New York[3].
- Future Visits: President Erdoğan mentioned that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu might visit Turkey in the coming months, possibly in October or November 2023. Furthermore, President Erdoğan expressed his intention to travel to Israel after Netanyahu’s visit[4][5].
These interactions indicate a diplomatic engagement between Turkey and Israel, with discussions likely focused on various bilateral and regional issues.
Erdoğan and Netanyahu have a long history of animosity, with the two leaders having publicly exchanged harsh words for many years[1]. Here is a list of some of the sparring between them over the past two decades:
- In 2010, Israeli commandos raided a Turkish aid flotilla bound for Gaza, killing nine Turkish activists. Erdoğan called the raid a “bloody massacre” and expelled the Israeli ambassador from Turkey. Netanyahu refused to apologize for the raid, leading to a breakdown in relations between the two countries[6].
In 2011, Erdoğan accused Israel of committing “genocide” against the Palestinians and called for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Netanyahu responded by saying that Erdoğan’s comments were “baseless slander”[2].
In 2013, Erdoğan called Zionism a “crime against humanity” at a UN conference, drawing condemnation from Israel and the United States. Netanyahu called Erdoğan’s comments “dark and mendacious”[1].
In 2015, Erdoğan accused Netanyahu of committing “state terrorism” against the Palestinians and called for his removal from office. Netanyahu responded by saying that Erdoğan was “supporting terrorists”[2].
In 2022, Erdoğan and Netanyahu spoke for the first time in nine years, in a phone call initiated by Netanyahu. The two leaders discussed regional issues, including the normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia[3].
In 2023, Erdoğan refrained from condemning Israel in a speech ahead of his meeting with Netanyahu on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting was the first-ever between the two leaders, and they discussed the possibility of improving relations between their countries[4].
Despite their history of animosity, Erdoğan and Netanyahu have shown a willingness to seek closer ties in recent years[1].
Citations:
[1] https://www.arabnews.com/node/2378701
[2] https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/turkey/2017-02-10/ty-article-magazine/.premium/how-can-you-even-compare-erdogan-and-netanyahu/0000017f-f8d9-d47e-a37f-f9fd20830000
[3] https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2022-11-17/ty-article/netanyahu-erdogan-speak-for-the-first-time-in-9-years/00000184-8585-d07a-adac-cdb57afd0000
[4] https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-september-19-2023/
[5] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/turkeys-erdogan-says-he-trusts-russia-just-as-much-as-i-trust-the-west
[6] https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2023/07/07/what-can-we-expect-from-an-erdogan-netanyahu-meeting/
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