Apology Dividend: Turkish-Israeli Gas Pipeline?

YERUSHALAYIM
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz says there could be energy cooperation with Israel. (GettyImages)
Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Taner Yildiz says there could be energy cooperation with Israel. (GettyImages)

Is there an apology dividend in the Turkish-Israeli pipeline?

Based on a comment made Tuesday by Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz, the answer is: Maybe.

Referring to Israel’s recent apology to Turkey over the Mavi Marmara incident, Yildiz said: “The reason for the apology is not [common] energy projects, but the result of it can be energy projects.

“Within the process of normalization, after Israel has fulfilled its responsibilities towards our side, the project of transporting Israeli gas via Turkey could come onto the agenda.”

“We should acknowledge that it is a political issue,” Yildiz was quoted by the Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman as saying in reference to the apology at an energy conference in Ankara. It qualified as one of the more subdued official Turkish comments on the issue.

By contrast, Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, hailed the apology as “a magnificent success of Turkish foreign policy” and said it means Israel “accepts and admits its unjust act.”

Israel is hopeful that once a compensation package has been negotiated, Turkey will drop charges against former IDF officers and any other legal claims. The road to mutually profitable cooperation would then be open.

Of course, none of this is certain. Turkey may not be willing to compromise on the amount of compensation it’s seeking for the families of those who died aboard the Gaza flotilla vessel. And even if an agreement can be reached, there are fears in Yerushalayim that Prime Minister Erdogan might use any conflict with the Palestinians as a pretext for severing relations with Israel again.

On the other hand, after so much gloating over their “magnificent” foreign policy, they presumably would not be quick to throw it all away.

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