Turkey names new ambassador to Tel Aviv

Turkey has named a new ambassador to Tel Aviv to substitute envoy Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, who was recalled after a humiliating public debacle in Israel earlier this year.

According to a report aired by private television network NTV on Sunday, Celikkol, who held the post for less than a year, will be replaced this summer by Kerim Uras, a diplomat who is an expert on Middle Eastern affairs.

Summoned to the Israeli Foreign Ministry on January 11, Celikkol was made to sit in a chair lower than the chair of Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Minister Danny Ayalon and confronted by Ayalon and three other Israeli officials in higher chairs. In a violation of diplomatic protocol, the Turkish flag was deliberately not on display during the meeting. Celikkol was also spoken to in Hebrew and was refused a handshake.

During the controversial meeting, Ayalon chastised Celikkol over a Turkish prime-time TV show in which Mossad agents were depicted as child-killers and kidnappers.

Ayalon later issued a formal apology after Turkish President Abdullah Gul threatened to withdraw Turkey's ambassador to Tel Aviv if the dispute between the two countries was not resolved.

Israel and Turkey have enjoyed close economic and military ties for the last decade but many Turks are dismayed at Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and the Turkish government has come under increasing pressure to take a stand on the issue.

Israel's war against the Gaza Strip, however, strained relations with its main regional ally, Turkey. Turkey's leaders condemned the Israeli offensive against Gaza and bilateral relations deteriorated.

Tensions flared between Ankara and Tel Aviv again in October 2009 after Turkey banned Israel from participating in a NATO air force drill. Ankara further strained relations earlier this year when it refused to stop broadcasting a television drama that depicted Israeli soldiers killing Palestinian children.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=122462§ionid=351020204.