factional differences in Israel partly explain the stupidity

Submitted by Eliyahu (Israel), Feb 20, 2013 at 08:48

Yes, I agree with Daniel Pipes and others who question this weird move. But we should also take into consideration the factional differences in Israel --and within state institutions like the foreign ministry and defense establishment-- over the Turkish issue. Many people in these institutions were Labor Party loyalists originally and many of these were appointed by Shimon Peres, now state president. Peres' obsessive inclination over the years has been to please official Washington. And Washington has been eager to promote Turkey generally as well as to have Israel cooperate with Israel no matter how Turkey under Erdogan was undermining Israel.

Obama is a striking example of this pro-Turkish bias in official DC. Erdogan has been reported in the media to be Obama's best friend among foreign leaders. In this context, note that Obama and Erdogan have a sycophantic mutual admiration society going. Last year Obama gave Peres some medal or other. And this year Peres will give Obama the Israeli president's medal of distinction. So Peres' toadying juices are primed to toady to Erdogan too. Moreover, note that a dyed in the wool parasite, one Alon Liel, a former ambassador to Turkey, has often been invited to appear on Israeli radio or TV [heavily under Peres' influence] and has several times called for the Netanyahu govt to "apologize" to Turkey over the Mavi Marmara affair.

Liel has also argued against recognizing the Armenian genocide. That non-recognition is not only a Turkish position but a position of official Washington, of the State Dept and White House. Recall that Obama broke his 2008 campaign promise to recognize it. On his visit to Turkey in early 2009, Obama went into a verbal contortion in order not to say genocide.

Recall that the Netanyahu govt refused to "apologize" to Erdogan over the Mavi Marmara. Now it seems that the pro-Obama Peres faction has the upper hand.

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