Türkiye's Foreign Policy and Its Impact on Its Relations with Israel A Historical Study

Abstract

Turkey was the first Islamic country to recognize Israel, a recognition that was both de facto and legal. This recognition led to the exchange of diplomatic missions and the development of diplomatic exchanges. This included the development of cultural relations, particularly economic and media relations. From our perspective, this represented a departure from its traditional approach, particularly during the Ottoman Empire, and specifically during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. There is no doubt that Turkish-Israeli relations have been influenced by several factors, most notably the positions of the United States, particularly regarding the Cyprus crisis in the early 1960s and beyond. This negatively impacted these relations, while at the same time Turkey felt its international isolation as a result of the failure of the countries of the Islamic and Arab world to vote for it due to its Western orientation and relations with Israel. Turkey's relations with Israel had repercussions for Arab and Islamic countries and exposed Arab national security to significant risks. In order to understand the reality of the Turkish role, it is necessary to mention important conclusions, including:

Turkey was driven by what it considered its interests to be excessive, based on historical, religious, and cultural considerations that bind it to Arabs and Muslims, and proceeded to recognize Israel from the very beginning of its establishment. Turkey played a dangerous regional role in the Middle East, particularly the Arab region, interacting with the West and responding to all requests from the United States. The impact of Turkish-Israeli relations on Arab national security was clear. Indeed, it can be said that the most prominent threat to Arab national security is the existence of an occupying entity. This threat is compounded when a neighboring Muslim country moves to establish advanced relations with Israel.