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The ‘Iranian threat’ brings Turkey and Israel even closer

By Costas Raptis

Crises bring them closer. The arrest of a couple of Israeli tourists in Istanbul last November for photographing Tayyip Erdogan’s summer residence gave the Turkish president the opportunity to intervene in person, including with his counterpart Isaac Herzog in a political meeting in 2010. between the two sides. In fact, the Israeli president had the opportunity to visit Turkey in March and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoλουlu in Israel in May, in a tangible illustration of the “ice breaking” between the two sides. such as the expulsion of members of the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas from Turkey, where they had taken refuge after the Arab Spring.

As of yesterday, Turkey’s relations with Israel are going through another test, especially in the field where they have been constantly improving over the last two years, namely tourism. However, this is a test attributed to the actions of a third party and reveals that the two countries are strengthening their cooperation in the field of information and security.

Speaking to lawmakers from Yesh Atid’s party, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid called on his compatriots visiting Turkey to leave immediately due to reports of terrorist attacks by Iran on Israeli tourists in Turkey. In even more dramatic tones, Lapid addressed the public via Twitter, claiming that in recent weeks, thanks to the coordinated efforts of the Israeli authorities, numerous attempts by Iran to carry out terrorist acts against Israeli visitors to Turkey have been thwarted. He even added characteristically that some of the potential victims have returned to their homeland and are circulating without knowing how their lives were saved.

Addressing the Turkish side, he said that tourism is important for both countries, but some risks should be avoided. He expressed no hope that the emergency agreement would end before the end of the tourist season and that the Israelis would return to Turkey to enjoy what it had to offer. In any case, he thanked the Turkish authorities for their cooperation, without going into too much detail.

A similar warning was issued by the Israeli National Security Council. As early as May 30, the Israeli Counter-Terrorism Office had spoken of threats against Israelis in Israel of Iranian origin.

There has been no comment from the Turkish side. However, there were actions, such as the dissolution by the Turkish authorities following information that Israel channeled a nucleus of Iranian agents who allegedly planned to kidnap Iranians, according to what was made public on Sunday.

Reacting to Lapid’s statements, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibazadeh said: “If we want to respond to Israeli operations, our response will come immediately and not in a third country.”

What businesses does he mean? Iranian media have reported that Revolutionary Guards aerobatic officers Ali Kamani and Mohammad Abdus died in the line of duty “under mysterious circumstances.” The recent assassination of al-Qaeda-linked al-Qaeda operative Hassan Shayan Hodaei, who was attacked by gunmen outside his home in Tehran on May 22, is recent. The leader of the Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Salami, blamed the assassination on the “Zionists” and promised revenge.

A bigger mystery surrounds the cases of drone expert Ayub Entazeri, who fell victim to “food poisoning”, as well as Ali Esmailzadeh, who fell from the balcony of his house. accused of giving information to Israel that led to the assassination of Hodai).

Earlier this year, Iran sent a message to multiple recipients when the Guards launched a targeted rocket attack on a building in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, where, according to Iranian sources, Mossad was training saboteurs.

In the Middle East, the accusation of “terrorism” is a very relevant case …

In any case, the politically crucial element is the confession of the deepening of Turkey-Israel security cooperation, at a time when the neighbor’s relations with Iran seem to be deteriorating, in the background of Erdogan’s plans for a new military invasion of Syria.

Source: Capital

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