A new diplomatic row has broken out between Israel and Turkey after the Turkish ambassador appeared to be publicly humiliated by Israeli government officials.The countries have in the past had close relations, and even military co-operation, but since the war in Gaza last year their relationship has been strained. The latest dispute came when Israel summoned the Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Çelikkol, to complain about a Turkish television drama that depicted Israeli security forces kidnapping children and shooting elderly men.Last night the ambassador was called to the Knesset office of the Israeli deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon. With television cameras filming, Çelikkol was seated on a low sofa before the Israeli officials who sat on higher, upright chairs. There was no handshake or refreshments, only an Israeli flag on the table between them.Ayalon turned to the Israeli television journalists and photographers and said in Hebrew: "The important thing is that people see that he's low and we're high and that there is one flag here." When journalists asked Ayalon to shake hands with the ambassador, he said: "No. That's the point." Turkey summoned the Israeli ambassador today to express its "unease" over the incident.
A new diplomatic row has broken out between Israel and Turkey after the Turkish ambassador appeared to be publicly humiliated by Israeli government officials.
The countries have in the past had close relations, and even military co-operation, but since the war in Gaza last year their relationship has been strained. The latest dispute came when Israel summoned the Turkish ambassador, Ahmet Çelikkol, to complain about a Turkish television drama that depicted Israeli security forces kidnapping children and shooting elderly men.
Last night the ambassador was called to the Knesset office of the Israeli deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon. With television cameras filming, Çelikkol was seated on a low sofa before the Israeli officials who sat on higher, upright chairs. There was no handshake or refreshments, only an Israeli flag on the table between them.
Ayalon turned to the Israeli television journalists and photographers and said in Hebrew: "The important thing is that people see that he's low and we're high and that there is one flag here." When journalists asked Ayalon to shake hands with the ambassador, he said: "No. That's the point." Turkey summoned the Israeli ambassador today to express its "unease" over the incident.
Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon issued a special statement of apology Tuesday night for his treatment of Turkish ambassador to Israel Ahmet Oguz Celikkol on Monday. Ayalon had delivered a rebuke to Celikkol regarding an anti-Israeli television show in Turkey. "My protest of the attacks against Israel in Turkey still stands," Ayalon said. "However, it is not my way to insult foreign ambassadors and in the future I will clarify my position by more acceptable diplomatic means." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with Ayalon's apology. Netanyahu added that the deputy foreign minister's protest was justified, but that he should have used acceptable diplomatic means to express his outrage.
"My protest of the attacks against Israel in Turkey still stands," Ayalon said. "However, it is not my way to insult foreign ambassadors and in the future I will clarify my position by more acceptable diplomatic means."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed satisfaction with Ayalon's apology. Netanyahu added that the deputy foreign minister's protest was justified, but that he should have used acceptable diplomatic means to express his outrage.
