Israel and Turkey secretly reconcile: what did Erdogan and Lieberman do in Baku

Baku / 17.08.18 / Turan: Israel and Turkey support unspoken contacts with the aim of stabilizing bilateral relations. If nothing dramatic happens, the ambassadors of the two states will return to work immediately after the autumn holidays in Israel, reported today the publication Yediot Aharonot.

Turkish Foreign Ministry invited Israeli Ambassador Eitan Nae to leave Ankara in May - in protest against the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem. In turn, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, explaining the diplomatic scandal, called Israel a "terrorist state".

In parallel, the Turkish side announced the withdrawal of its ambassadors from Israel and the United States. Despite these demarches, relations between the two countries have not been interrupted, especially in the economic sphere. With tightening rhetoric of Ankara and Jerusalem, diplomatic contacts continued.

There are several factors contributing to the normalization of Turkish-Israeli relations.

First, it is the completion of the active phase of the war in Syria and the strengthening of Iranian influence, which creates certain threats for Turkey and Israel.

Secondly, the acute crisis of the Turkish economy and the rapid devaluation of the lira, including against the backdrop of worsening relations between Ankara and Washington (in Turkey it is believed that rapprochement with Israel will also contribute to reducing tensions with the White House).

Thirdly, the instability in Russia, which on which Erdogan bet , but without receiving any dividends in return. Moreover, the latest summit in Tehran revealed a number of contradictions between the leadership of the Russian Federation and Turkey in the approaches to the solution of the Syrian problem, which forces Erdogan to change the eastern vector again to the western one.

It is noteworthy that at the end of last week Erdogan was in Baku together with Israeli Defense Minister Lieberman. Although in diplomatic circles they talk about "pure coincidence", the mere fact of such a routine is suggestive.

Avigdor Lieberman arrived in the Azerbaijani capital on an official visit, during which he met with President Ilham Aliyev and other high-ranking officials of the country. Issues of bilateral cooperation, as well as the regional situation, were discussed, as it was stated.

Azerbaijan, according to reports in foreign media, continues to show interest in Israeli weapons, so the appearance of the defense minister in Baku is hardly accidental.

As for Erdogan, he arrived in Baku to participate in events that, according to the interpretation of the Azerbaijani authorities, were called "the 100th anniversary of liberation from the Armenian-Bolshevik occupation." Lieberman did not participate in these celebrations, accompanied by a military parade, but was in Baku. And from the window of his hotel room was seen the escort of Erdogan, heading for the parade, writes the Israeli edition. -02D-