Turkey accepts apology from Israel for insult to ambassador

In an attempt to defuse the latest crisis between the two countries, Israel on Wednesday caved in to demands from Turkey and apologized for insulting the Turkish ambassador, an Israeli government statement said.

On Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned Turkish Ambassador Oğuz Çelikkol to complain about a Turkish television drama that has been perceived as anti-Semitic. The show, "The Valley of the Wolves," depicts Israeli security forces kidnapping children and shooting old men. Çelikkol was forced to sit on a low sofa without a handshake and there was no Turkish flag present. Ayalon explained to local TV stations in Hebrew that the humiliation was intentional. Çelikkol did not react.

Outraged, Turkey threatened to recall the ambassador.

Late Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said a letter of apology has been written, and he "hopes this will end the affair." Israeli officials said the letter was delivered to Turkish officials in Ankara.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accepted the apology.

"We have received the answer that we were waiting for," he said.

The text of letter to the ambassador was released later Wednesday by Ayalon's office.

It said in part, "Although we have our differences of opinion on several issues, they should be discussed and solved only through open, reciprocal and respectful diplomatic channels between our two governments. ... I had no intention to humiliate you personally and apologize for the way the demarche was handled and perceived."

Ayalon's detailed explanation of his insult to Israeli TV crews in the room was made in Hebrew, and the ambassador did not react.

Asked Wednesday what would have happened if Ayalon had made the comments in English instead of Hebrew, Çelikkol said, "The meeting would have ended there, and I would just have left." He was interviewed in Tel Aviv by Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency.

Earlier Wednesday, Ayalon issued a statement admitting that his behavior was undiplomatic, but fell short of an apology. Turkey rejected that and threatened to withdraw its ambassador if a formal apology was not forthcoming.

The statement from Netanyahu's office said the Israeli leader "supported the essence of (Ayalon's) protest but distanced himself from the inappropriate style." It expressed concern over the deterioration of relations between the two countries and said the Israeli government would work "to find ways to prevent the continuation of this trend."

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak is due to travel to Turkey on Sunday on a visit planned before the latest diplomatic quarrel erupted.

Over the past decade, the two states had built up a strong relationship, including military cooperation and tourism, making Turkey Israel's closest ally in the Muslim world.

Lately, however, Israel has been troubled by harsh statements from Erdoğan, who was outraged by the high Palestinian civilian death toll during Israel's Gaza offensive a year ago.

Israel is also concerned with a perception that Turkey is moving closer to Iran, considered by Israel as a strategic threat.

Days after the Gaza offensive began, Erdoğan stalked off a stage he was sharing with Israeli President Shimon Peres at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland with the parting shot: "You kill people."

Turkey also canceled a high-profile military exercise with Israel last fall.

Erdoğan contributed to the heightened tensions Monday by accusing Israel of threatening world peace, just before Ayalon summoned Çelikkol for the public insult.

Weighing in from outside Israel

Wednesday afternoon Turkish President Abdullah Gül responded to questions about why relations with Israel were headed downward as Turkey was forging strong ties with other countries in the region.

“Take a look at what they are doing. This question should be asked to the Israelis. It is necessary to ask them, ‘Why are you isolating yourself from the region and the world?’ They need to put themselves in that order,” said Gül.

In response to another question about why Israel was acting that way, he said: “I am not going to take a lower-level man as an interlocutor. The one who needs to put the things in order is the high-level Israeli administration.”

Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu were both in Russia for an official meeting Wednesday, but were in constant contact with Foreign Ministry diplomats in Ankara, who were updated minute-by-minute by Ambassador Çelikkol from Israel. Any Israeli failure to apologize is being interpreted as a serious blow and attempt to burn bridges between once regional allies.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who has caused several diplomatic flaps of his own with undiplomatic remarks about the Arab world, said Israel sought direct dialogue with Turkey to ease tensions.

Israel will not “tolerate any anti-Semitic remarks and incitements against Jews of the state of Israel,” but it does not want a confrontation with Turkey, Lieberman said in Cyprus, where he was visiting political leaders Wednesday. Lieberman said he was hopeful talks could restore “normal relations” between the two countries.