With Islamists coming to power, Ankara began to tend towards Iran and those Arabic countries which actively struggle against Israel. Shortly after the bombardment of Hamas bases in Gaza Strip, Turkey «sharply condemned» the actions of Israel. Evidently, the latter could not expect such turn of events: Tel-Aviv had considered Ankara a friendly, if not a brotherly country. All around Istanbul billboards are full of Anti-Semitic posters like "Kill Jews", "Kill Israel", "Israel should no longer exist in the Middle East". On the door of a shop a group of people put a huge poster saying: "Jews and Armenians are not allowed but dogs are allowed". By the way, dogs are considered dirty animals in Islam... Not to mention the numerous public demonstrations in support of the Hamas which is quite intentionally equated with Palestine.

It is clear that Turkey is ready to spoil her reputation of a peacemaker in order to finally establish herself as a regional power. For the sake of it she can even go for intimacy with Iran. Turkish observers consider that even if cooperation between Iran and Turkey is not able to halt military operations of Israel in Gaza, it can at least prevent the war from expanding all over the Middle East region. It is quite natural that Iran should have poor chances to halt military attacks of Israel on Gaza. And here Turkey plays its role, and it is worth mentioning that she plays it rather reasonably. However, there is a serious sticking point here - Arabic countries, especially those practicing the Sunni branch of Islam, do not absolutely welcome the «flirting» of Turkey and Syria with Iran, where dominating religion is Shiism. This is the main reason why the tandem Turkey-Iran cannot get involved in the war. Moreover, Iran is in no doubt that mediators won't be able to stop the war between Israel and Hamas.

It is still early to speak of serious disagreements between Turkey and Israel but if the new US Administration «reconsiders» its foreign policy in the Middle East and in relations with Iran in particular, some cooling between the countries is not far off. The cooling is quite likely and Prime-Minister Erdogan's latest statement proves it. On January 16 he demanded that Israel should be barred from the United Nations while it ignores the organization's calls to stop fighting in Gaza. "How is such a country, which totally ignores and does not implement resolutions of the U.N. Security Council, allowed to enter through the gates of the U.N.?" said the Turkish Prime-Minister.

Since January 2009 Turkey has become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and rather shortly it managed to show its true face. Naturally, Israel will not be barred from the UN, as in that case too many countries for the same reason would have to be expelled from the Organization which, to tell the truth, has never managed to get its resolutions implemented… By the way the United Nations is marginally to blame for the current Middle East war that has been lasting for 60 years already. The UN's share of guilt lies in the following: when establishing the State of Israel no steps were made towards the establishment of the State of Palestine. Instead, the United Nations once more limited itself with a resolution and simply watched the Jews deal with the Arabic threats. The Jews managed the task but operations like "Cast Lead" will go on forever until Palestine has precise borders and demilitarized zones.

The splash of anti-Semitism will gradually come to naught; another operation of Israeli troops will be completed and a fragile armistice will be concluded in Gaza until a new provocation of radical Islam groupings. Let us recall that the cause of the current war was the capture of Israeli corporal Guilad Schalit who is still held hostage in Hamas. In the words of Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, liberation of Guilad Schalit is still a requirement to Hamas. "As a minister I am responsible for each soldier. I am not going to conduct negotiations with Hamas in any other matter except the release of Guilad Schalit," declared Tzipi Livni in Washington.

By the way on January 17 the United States and Israel signed a memorandum in Washington. Signing of the memorandum was part of the efforts directed to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza Strip and to stop weapon smuggling into Gaza.

At a press conference in Washington US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the memorandum of understanding "would improve information sharing between the two countries to prevent the weapons from reaching Hamas in Gaza", the EarthTimes agency cites. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who was in Washington to sign the agreement, called it a "historic" deal that was a "vital component for the cessation of hostilities."

Meanwhile, a trilateral meeting is organized in Cairo on Sunday with participation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Israeli Prime-Minister Ehud Olmert and PA Chairman Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas). Representatives of Hamas are not invited to the meeting in Cairo.