Erdogan received members of the Jewish community in Turkey
Turkey and Israel have strong ties, in various fields, indirectly, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan tries to claim otherwise by spreading lies, attacking Tel Aviv, and trading the Palestinian cause on all international occasions.
Reception of Jewish rabbis
In the latest of these controversial manifestations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received a delegation of rabbis from the Jewish community in Turkey and some Muslim countries.
On his official Twitter account, Karel Vallansi, the Israeli writer in the Israeli newspaper “Şalom”, published pictures of Erdogan meeting with a number of rabbis. He explained that Erdogan met in his presidential palace in Ankara, the chief rabbi of the Jewish community in Turkey, Isaac Hajlava, the chief rabbi of Russia, and senior rabbis in some Islamic countries.
Vallansi added: The delegation also provided Erdogan with a Menorah symbolizing Judaism, where Chief Rabbi Isaac Hajlava was seen giving information to Erdogan about the seven-branched candles.
The Turkish presidency did not issue any statement regarding the meeting, nor its details and reasons.
Meeting details
Meanwhile, the Hebrew newspaper “Yediot Aharonot” said on Wednesday evening: “During the meeting, Erdogan made a series of positive and surprising statements about his stance towards Jews and Israel”.
The newspaper continued: During the meeting, the Turkish president told the Jewish rabbis: “Relations between Turkey, the Jews and Israel will always remain strong”, he said, adding: “Economic relations between the two countries (Turkey and Israel) are stronger than ever and will continue to grow”.
According to the rabbis who attended the meeting, Erdogan also said: Normalization of relations with Israel “is important and will happen soon”.
Hebrew media and Israeli journalists published videos and photos documenting the Turkish president’s meeting with a number of Jewish rabbis in his palace in Ankara.
This comes after the Turkish Ambassador in Washington, Hasan Murad Mercan, recently celebrated the Jewish Hanukkah Festival and, in accordance with Jewish tradition, torched with the Greek Ambassador the “Hanoucca Candle” in an incident that did not occur 15 years ago.
Ambassador Hassan Murad Morgan participated in the ceremony organized by the American Safardim Brotherhood, which included the Safardim community who emigrated from Turkey and Turkish Jews. Mercan lit the candle of the night in Hanoucca with the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Ambassador Gilad Erdan and the Ambassador of Greece in Washington Alexandra Papadopoulos.
Turkey and Israel
Turkey and Israel have complex relations in various areas, sometimes in private and sometimes in public, especially at the commercial level, which has recently seen an unprecedented rise in significant proportions.
According to official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜIK), the Turkish Exporters Association, the Central Bank, and Israeli data, Turkey exported $4.7 billion to Israel in 2020, ranking ninth on the list of consumers of Turkish exports.
During the first four months of 2012, Turkey’s exports to Israel increased by 35% to $1.8 billion compared to the same period last year, and Israel became the eighth country in terms of Turkey’s exports abroad.
In 2002, when Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party came to power, Turkey’s exports to Israel were $850 million per year, a figure that has increased 4.5 times in 18 years.
In contrast, Turkey’s imports from Israel amounted to $1.5 billion in 2020, and Turkey’s foreign trade with Israel reached $6.2 billion in the same year, with the volume in question increasing 3.4 times in 18 years.
Also during 2020, Turkey ranked fourth in Israel’s total imports at 6.2%, followed by China, the US, and Germany.
The Israeli embassy and consulate in Ankara and Istanbul have also become more active by organizing seminars and conferences to strengthen bilateral relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara, under the supervision of Israeli-Turkish civil society forums, with the indirect support of Erdogan’s party behind the scenes, as well as visits and projects by Israeli businessmen, in Turkish territory.
