May 31, 2010 - 19:49 AMT
Artak Shakaryan: Turkey has committed provocation against Israel

Turkologist Artak Shakaryan said that Turkey has committed a provocation against Israel, pursuing several goals – to gain Iran’s trust, obtain dividends among the electorate on the threshold of the parliamentary elections, as well as enhance Turkey’s positions in the eyes of the Arab world countries.

“It should be taken into consideration that parliamentary elections will be held in Turkey next year, thus, the Turkish authorities are trying to satisfy Islamist moods in Turkey and gain Iran’s trust through the anti-Israeli propaganda,” Shakaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

“But I do not think that serious changes are observed in the Turkish-Israeli relations. Turkey knows that after the elections it will manage to normalize the relations with Israel,” the Turkologist stressed. However, the expert has not excluded the possibility that the tension in the Turkish-Israeli relations may serve as a new stimulus for discussion of the Armenian Genocide resolution by the Israeli parliament.

After more than 10 people died in an Israeli operation on aid-carrying ships bound for Gaza, among them Turkish vessels, Turkey has warned Israel that the incident may lead to irreparable consequences in the two countries’ bilateral relations. The Turkish Foreign Ministry recalled the ambassador to Israel upon the military assault.

Besides, Israeli Ambassador Gabby Levy was summoned to the Turkish Foreign Ministry as hundreds gathered outside Israeli missions to protest the assault.