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Israel-Turkey rapprochement Accepting an apology graciously

\"Turkey was the first to recognize Israel from the Muslim world. Since the 15th Century, Turkey was a shelter for the Jewish people. I can think of about 1,000 reasons why Turkey and Israel should be friends. There is an affinity in history; there is a closeness in geography.\"
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March 28, 2013

“Turkey was the first to recognize Israel from the Muslim world. Since the 15th Century, Turkey was a shelter for the Jewish people. I can think of about 1,000 reasons why Turkey and Israel should be friends. There is an affinity in history; there is a closeness in geography.” These were the very first words of Israeli President Shimon Peres after Israel's apology to Turkey in an interview with a Turkish daily. I could not agree more with him.

First of all, I would like to start by saying that we — the people of Turkey — deeply cherish Israel's historic friendship with Turkey and deciding on an apology and compensation. These are surely momentous times in diplomacy, a turning point, but what is far more important is the meaning and message for our two people. An apology is a message from our Israeli friends saying that the friendship between Turkey and Israel is important to them and they wish to continue this friendship.

In the past, when my Israeli friends asked me whether I thought an apology was necessary, I always told them that I cannot decide such matters on behalf of the people of Israel, and that it was entirely up to them and their leaders to decide how to approach such issues. I, for one, do not place preconditions on an apology as it should be sincere, and cannot be done under compulsion.

Consequently, Israel chose to overlook the mistakes of Turkey regarding the Mavi Marmara incident, and apologized for her operational mistakes and promised to pay compensation to the families of those who died because she wants to put this incident behind her and continue with our long-established frienship.

Apology is an honorable, graceful act, and in my opinion it will increase people's respect for Israel. Apology is a courtesy, a great beauty, and thus it can never be degrading, humiliating or aggrieving. Israel did the right thing, and we deeply appreciate it.

However we should expect that some circles will attempt to make news just for provocation and attempt to ruin or interrupt this process of healing diplomatic ties. Nevertheless, we hear the voices of negative people who want to put Israel in a difficult position. So I would like to turn to my fellow Turks and criticize these voices that speak about this as though we made them cave in and apologize. It is absolutely wrong to attempt any kind of humiliation out of this and use this virtuous act as a tool for propaganda to incite anger. Israel is doing this for friendship. It is outrageous to use inflammatory language or condescend to using it as something against Israel. It is simply a humiliation upon those hateful voices for not knowing how to graciously appreciate this apology.

I also do not approve the billboards that the Ankara municipality has put up to thank Prime Minister Erdogan for allegedly compelling Israel to apologize. I do not think that either putting up such ads nor their gloating tone is right. This is not the way to accept an apology.

If one has apologized, then you must accept it right away. If someone apologizes, they are not to be dishonored. Someone who apologizes should be treated kindly, and gracious behavior should be shown. The kind of behavior that shows you accept him as a friend, and also shows your maturity, quality and worth. There is no place for such gloating in our tradition. That is why I find it deeply unbecoming to stooping to use this gracious act as something disadvantegous for Israel.

If this kind of humiliating rhetoric is used, then no friendship would be left. If one uses such inflammatory language, then it would mean consigning the friendship of Israel to the back burner and that would be a terrible mistake. Frankly I see this as an act to eliminate friendship so I condemn those who try to take this apology and twist it in such a way to dishonor Israel.

As to the issue of the Gaza blockade, it is unfortunate that this matter is still the source of a rift between Turkey and Israel, nor should it have been made a condition of Turkish-Israeli relations. Of course I look forward to the day when the blockade is lifted; I don't wish to see the Palestinians confined to their territories. But the Israelis have legitimate security concerns of rockets falling upon them being fired from Gaza, and they are deeply concerned about weapons being smuggled into Gaza via the Mediterranean. Consequently, we — as Turkey — must express that Israel's security is important to us as well, while also expressing our concern for the well-being of the citizens of Gaza. Justice is, after all, not one-sided.

We must not forget that Israel is a unique country dealing with existential threats on a daily basis. Throughout their history as a people, they have been beaten, driven out, chased, burned, hung and slaughtered. They have faced seemingly endless persecution, from the Roman Empire to the Spanish Inquistion, from the pogroms of the Tsars to the ravine at Babi Yar, from the mindless slaughter of the Crusaders to the mechanized factories of death which shall be forever remembered with horror; Auschwitz, Sobibor, Chelmno and others. The Israeli people have no wish to live worrying that fanatics, motivated by an irrational prejudice and hatred will kill and maim and bomb them and their children. Let us provide assurance so they can relax, and lift this nonsensical prejudice against them. We, as Muslims, must be able to guarantee the people of Israel that there will be no more of this madness.

So let me express this on behalf of Turkey: Of course we want security for Israel, and we want you to live in peace and prosperity. You must live in peace in your historic motherland which has been your home for thousands of years; we are not at all uneasy at your presence there. May God bestow peace and prosperity upon you till the End of Days. You are the children of prophets. There is plenty of land everywhere. It is one of our basic convictions to establish a unity in the whole region that will include Russia, Armenia and Israel, to live in peace and brotherhood, to ensure the independence of states within themselves and survival of their own governments, to advocate a fully-formed, mature democracy and the implementation of secularism with meticulous care. God willing, Israel will see their finest and their best days under this unity, side by side with Muslims, as brothers and sisters.


The author is a political and religious commentator from Turkey, and an executive producer at a Turkish TV. She is also the spokesperson of a prominent international interfaith organization. She can be reached on http://www.facebook.com/sinemtezyapar and https://twitter.com/SinemTezyapar.

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