So, according to the press, Israel and Turkey are mortal enemies. After the Mavi Marmara provocation, and the UN conclusion that cleared israel, Turkey cut its diplomatic ties to Israel. One would assume that that would be the end of that. But is it? Here at the Inconvenient Truth we traditionally look at what people do, not what they say. At the same time we follow the money to attempt to validate the actions. Since the break in diplomatic relations the following has caught the eye.
1.Israeli exports to Turkey in 2011 equaled exports to Germany, according to an analysis by Meitav Investment House Ltd. of Central Bureau of Statistics data, which show that exports to Turkey totaled $1.85 billion in 2011, 42% more than in 2010. Israeli exports to Turkey totaled $132.1 million in December 2011, 51% more than in the corresponding month. Imports from Turkey also jumped. Read more http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000717731&fid=1725
2.Despite the breakdown in diplomatic and military ties, the IAF continued to maintain an open line of communication with the Turkish Air Force to prevent potential misunderstandings when pilots from both countries encounter one another flying over the Mediterranean. This has been reactivated. Read more http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=250410
3.The State Prosecutor's Office in Israel said in its response to an appeal filed with the High Court of Justice that Turkish-Israeli relations remain special and vital despite the tensions. The State responded to an appeal against the government's decision to extend the arrangement according to which 800 foreign workers from Turkey will be employed by Israel Military Industries through a construction company. This appeared as a news flash in the top Israeli newspaper Yediot Aharonot, and was subsequently not followed up (but has been verified). Read more http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/1,7340,L-4171152,00.html
4.Two weeks ago, The Turkish military attache to Israel attended an IAF briefing for foreign military officers at the Uvda Air Force Base on the sidelines of the IAF joint maneuvers with the Italian Air Force. The officer said that the IAF would also likely invite Turkey to participate in a large-scale international aerial drill that it will be hosting in Israel in 2013.
5.In a brief notice to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE), IAI announced that it has signed a four-year $1.6 billion arms deal with an Asian country. The country requested to remain anonymous. Rumour has it that Turkey was that country, but since we follow the money this will be confirmed (or not) over a period of time through the numbers.
6.ANKARA, Turkey - An epic French documentary about the mass murder of Jews under the German Nazi regime has appeared on Turkish television to mark international Holocaust Remembrance Day — the first time the film has been aired on public television in a majority-Muslim country. State television TRT's documentary channel showed the first episode of filmmaker Claude Lanzmann's "Shoah" late Thursday — the eve of the day of remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust. The film has been subtitled into Arabic, Farsi and Turkish by the Paris-based Aladdin project
With strengthening ties to Greece and Cyprus as a background, we are witnessing a crawling improvement in relations between Israel and Turkey. Even though, according to most of the media the crisis is full-blown, nothing stays the same and it will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
Since life is growth and motion, a fixed point of view kills anybody who has one - Brooks Atkinson
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