It appears a stepped-up renewed political row between Israel and Turkey is underway as the latter has pulled announced it will not participate in an international military training event together with the Israel Air Force. Actually, Turkey announced an ultimatum, seeking to continue the multi-national military exercise with the exclusion of Israel, an ultimatum that has lead to the cancelation of the event.

The aerial exercise was set to begin on Monday, based at a Turkish air force installation south of Ankara. The training event was to provide many simulations, including aerial dog fights and aerial assaults against ground targets, including Turkey, Israel, the USA, Italy and a number of NATO nations.

The IAF has taken part in the past, and the experts explained the vast flying area, unfamiliar airspace and cooperation between air forces all provide essential components permitting the IAF to improve its abilities.

Reports indicate that the Turkish media has been pressing Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to exclude Israel from the annual event, with the effort headed by Turkey’s most senior and respected members of the press, explaining it is simply unacceptable to permit fighter jets that bombed Gaza [during Operation Cast Lead] to take part in the training event involving Turkey. It did not take too much effort for the media to persuade the prime minister, who has already used a Davos economic forum to accuse Israel of “war crimes and atrocities”, a move that led to an unprecedented breakdown in relations between Israel and Turkey, relations that appeared all but mended, until now.

The United States however came through, big time, hinting that if Turkey insists on excluding Israel, then America and other NATO nations would also be unable to take part, leading to the cancelation of the major exercise.

The daily Yediot Achronot reports that a senior [unnamed] Turkish military source refused to divulge if Turkish military commanders played a role in the decision.

Israeli military officials are reportedly extremely angry, calling on state leaders to “reevaluate” Israel’s relations with Turkey. “We also have honor, not just them. It is unacceptable that they unilaterally reach such a decision and we remain silent to protect the fragile relationship. This is an important ally, but there is a limit for Israel too as to how high a price we may pay for the fragile relationship” an unnamed Israeli official is quoted as saying.

(Written on isru chag in Eretz Yisrael – Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)