A fortnight after Israel apologised for humiliating Turkey’s ambassador as
punishment for a controversial Turkish television programme, Israel’s Foreign
Ministry has produced a report that has shocked both the Turkish government and
the Israeli embassy in Ankara.

The leaked report describes the humiliation a success: ‘Turkey recognises it
entered the red-line zone, reached the outer limits of the Israeli government’s
patience. Losing Israel would damage Turkey’s international legitimacy. ‘

The Israeli embassy sent an angry message to Jerusalem saying the report was
‘divorced from reality’ and that it had not been consulted. It added that
remarks made by Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, that the report
labelled anti-Semitic – ‘Jews are good with money’ – were seen as just the
opposite by Turks.

It appears the plea of Turkey’s principle Jewish group, Musevi Cemaati, that the
initial row be ’settled in a diplomatic way, in line with rules of courtesy’ in
order to avoid inflaming anti-Semitism in the country, has fallen on deaf ears
within the Israeli government.