Turkey approaches with Israel for normalizing relations; fear Biden's administration

Turkey has chosen a new ambassador to Israel, in line with the efforts exerted to normalize relations with the Jewish state, and an attempt to rapprochement with the upcoming administration of US President-elect Joe Biden, according to several well-informed sources.

The new ambassador is Avok Olutas (40 years old), who is head of the Strategic Research Center at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, and he studied Hebrew and Middle Eastern politics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Avok Olutas has also served as director of SETA, a pro-government think-tank, and has written numerous research papers on Middle Eastern politics and Jewish history. Avok Olutas is also an expert on Iran issues.

'Turkey is isolated'

Despite all of Erdogan's positions, Turkey finds itself increasingly isolated and in economic distress.

With the approaching US and European Union sanctions, Ankara is trying to repair relations with the two parties even as it continues to engage in the same behavior, flirt with Russia and flex its muscles in the eastern Mediterranean, which is angering the West.

'Talks between Fidan and Israeli officials'

Al-Monitor reported for the first time on November 30 that the head of Turkish intelligence, Hakan Fidan, held secret talks with Israeli officials, and it was reported that the idea of ​​restoring relations to the level of ambassadors was raised.

Olutas ’s nomination coincided with a routine rotation of Turkish ambassadors, and his name did not appear in the final list that Al-Monitor reviewed, which includes new appointments to Washington and the United Nations mission in New York.

Turkey has appointed Murat Mirkan, a founding member of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and current ambassador to Tokyo, as Turkey's ambassador to the United States, and in the meantime, Deputy Foreign Minister Sedat Onal will become Turkey's ambassador to the United Nations.

This is the first time that Turkey has sent an unprofessional diplomat to Israel, a position that has traditionally been reserved for its best and brightest envoys such as Namik Tan, a former ambassador to Washington, and it is also unclear whether Israel will send an ambassador to Ankara.

'The Gulf is better for Israel than Turkey'

It is unlikely, for several reasons, as Israel is busy developing its relations with its new Gulf allies, especially the United Arab Emirates, which are fiercely hostile to Turkey. And Israel will not wish to destabilize the situation until it establishes formal diplomatic relations with Abu Dhabi, and as Israel is also heading to new elections, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no interest in increasing his opponents.

T/S

ANHA