TURKISH-ISRAELI SPAT COULD JEOPARDIZE BARAK VISIT

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000058 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2015 TAGS: PGOV PREL TU IS SUBJECT: TURKISH-ISRAELI SPAT COULD JEOPARDIZE BARAK VISIT Classified By: Ambassador James F. Jeffrey; Reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) During a January 13 conversation with us, Israeli Embassy spokesman Amit Zarouk registered concern the ongoing "statements" spat between the Turkish and Israeli Ministries of Foreign Affair would jeopardize the January 17 visit of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to Ankara. According to Turkish media sources, the spat arose from Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon's perceived effort to humiliate Turkish ambassador to Israel Oguz Celikkol after convoking the latter to complain about the alleged anti-Israeli content of a popular Turkish television drama, "Valley of the Wolves." ¶2. (C) Zarouk reported the Turkish MFA had rejected both Ayalon's January 13 "statement" that any perceived insult was unintentional and PM Netanyahu's subsequent characterization of the Ayalon statement as an "apology." Zarouk said the Turkish MFA is insisting on Ayalon's "personal and direct apology." Absent that apology, the Israeli Embassy here expects Turkey to recall Celikkol. During the early afternoon of January 13, President Gul, whom we had viewed as especially receptive to a rehabilitation of the Turkish-Israeli relationship, issued an ultimatum threatening to recall Celikkol if the GoI did not apologize "by this evening" for his mistreatment. ¶3. (C) During a separate conversation with us, MFA Israeli desk officer Rauf Denktas refused to characterize his ministry's position as conditioning the Barak visit on an official GoI apology for Celikkol's mistreatment. Nevertheless, he implied an apology is prerequisite to "further discussions" with the Israelis on visit modalities. ¶4. (C) COMMENT: We are engaging the Turkish MFA and Israeli Embassy in an effort to insulate the Barak visit from the emotional Turkish-Israeli diplomatic exchange. There is plenty of blame to go around on this. The Turks simply do not recognize how their ever more recklessly anti-Israeli actions and Erdogan's statements contribute to the atmosphere that either provoked or was exploited by Ayalon. Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turk ey Jeffrey "Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at http://www.intelink.s gov.gov/wiki/Portal:Turkey"