TURKEY

Karel VALANSİ

Yom HaShoah Commemorated in the Ashkenazi Synagogue
Yom HaShoah Commemorated in the Ashkenazi Synagogue
The most effective and emotional Yom HaShoah ceremony I´ve attended in recent years was held in the Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul on Monday night. Jilda Abravay and Igal Mevorah´s presentations, Sarah Chitrik´s music, and the speech made by Dr. Mehmet Ali Tuğtan of Bilgi University left their marks on this significant ceremony.
Eitam: We Have To Respect Our Differences, The Last Decade Showed Us That
Eitam: We Have To Respect Our Differences, The Last Decade Showed Us That
Acting Head of Post of the Consulate General of Israel in Istanbul, Ehud Moshe Eitam started his position in March 2019 in a very delicate time not just for Turkish-Israeli relations but also due to the pandemic. Once close allies, relations between Israel and Turkey have been strained for over a decade following the Cast Lead Operation in December 2008. Diplomatic relations were restored in 2016, but two years later, Turkey recalled its ambassador and asked Israel´s to leave in protest of Israel´s response to rioting on the Gaza border. Only after the historic visit of Israel´s President Isaac Herzog to Ankara in March 2022 did the two sides announce that they would be restoring full diplomatic ties, which picked up pace in 2022. Eitam witnessed the improvement of bilateral relations, which in the end reached the long waited normalization. We talked with him about the difficulties and opportunities encountered working in Turkey, the future of Turkish-Israeli relations, and his plans for the future, following his retirement from the ministry of foreign affairs.
Lior Haiat: “We Were There When Turkey Needed Us, and Turkey Was There for Us When We Needed”
Lior Haiat: “We Were There When Turkey Needed Us, and Turkey Was There for Us When We Needed”
One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Turkey struck on February 6 in southern Turkey. More than 40,000 people have been killed and tens of thousands injured. One of the first countries to send aid to the affected areas was Israel which responded immediately to the international appeal from Turkey. We talked with Israel´s Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat, about the Israeli rescue operations, and Turkey-Israel bilateral relations.
Israel´s Ambassador to Turkey Irit Lillian: “Turkey Stands by Itself for the Merit and Importance of Our Mutual Relations”
Israel´s Ambassador to Turkey Irit Lillian: “Turkey Stands by Itself for the Merit and Importance of Our Mutual Relations”
Turkey and Israel have officially exchanged ambassadors after years of tense relations. Israel´s ambassador to Turkey Irit Lillian presented her credentials to President Erdogan on December 27th. One of Israel´s top diplomats, Lillian, had been working tirelessly as the chargé d´affaires at the embassy in Ankara to mend bilateral relations. Lillian shared her thoughts on Turkey-Israel relations for Shalom readers. A big fan of Turkish culture, traditional music and cuisine, the ambassador is learning Turkish and promised to answer a question in Turkish in our next interview.
Public Agenda: Economic Problems
Public Agenda: Economic Problems
The 2022 results of the ´Turkey Trends´ research which has been keeping its finger on the pulse of Turkey for 13 years, were announced at a press conference. According to face-to-face interviews conducted with a thousand people over the age of 18 in 26 provinces, Turkey´s main problems are the economy, counterterrorism, and refugee problems. While the USA and Israel maintain their top positions on the threat list, the participants stated that in the elections they would vote for AKP (35.3%), CHP (24.5%), MHP (8.9%), IYI [Good] Party (10.2%), and HDP (9.5%).
Spanish Ambassador Javier Hergueta: “For Spain, it is Very Important to Improve the Customs Union Agreement”
Spanish Ambassador Javier Hergueta: “For Spain, it is Very Important to Improve the Customs Union Agreement”
During his visit to Istanbul, we met with Mr. Javier Hergueta, the Ambassador of Spain to Ankara. We discussed Turkey-EU relations. We also talked about the Covid and vaccination situation in Spain, the second-generation vaccine that they are developing, and the law that grants Spanish nationality to Sephardic people.
"We Wish the Sephardic Community All the Best"
"We Wish the Sephardic Community All the Best"
This year La Autoridad Nasionala del Ladino prepared a special Ladino day. ´El Dia Mundial del Ladino´ was streamed via Zoom on the evening of March 17th. We talked to the Ambassador of Spain to Ankara Javier Hergueta due to this special occassion.
“We are Beyond What I Had Dreamed of When I Moved to Dubai”
“We are Beyond What I Had Dreamed of When I Moved to Dubai”
We talked about how the peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates affected the Jewish life in the Emirates, with the investment manager Cem Habib, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, and who is one of the founding members of the Jewish Council of Emirates (JCE), the first officially recognized Jewish community of the UAE.
Prof. Gause: “There are clear differences between the King and the Crown Prince”
Prof. Gause: “There are clear differences between the King and the Crown Prince”
During his speech in the United Nations General Assembly last week, King Salman of Saudi Arabia called for “coexistence among all the region’s peoples” and stated that “Peace in the Middle East is our strategic option.” We talked about the position of Saudi Arabia and recent developments in the region with Prof. Dr. F. Gregory Gause, III, professor of International Affairs and Head of the International Affairs Department at the Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University.
Inbar: “We will not See a Peaceful Middle East”
Inbar: “We will not See a Peaceful Middle East”
The signing of Abraham Accords is a significant development in the unstable Middle East. We talked with Prof. Dr. Efraim Inbar, the Israeli position and the future of the Turkish-Israeli relations. Prof. Inbar is the president of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategic Studies (JISS), and professor emeritus of political science at Bar-Ilan University. He was the founding director of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA), a position he held for 23 years. He specializes in Middle Eastern strategic issues, Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy, and Turkey-Israel relations.
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MOZOTROS AİLESİ - İrvin Mandel