Turkey is becoming stronger in the region, and its hostility toward Israel is deepening, Prof. Yossi Shain, an expert on international relations at Georgetown University and Tel Aviv University, warned in an interview with 103FM on Wednesday.
Shain addressed Israel’s recognition of the Armenian genocide, noting the issue has become political, and referred to what appears to be Turkey’s growing power and Israel’s relative weakening as a result.
"Between Israel and Turkey there are enormous struggles right now, so of course Israel wants to remind Turkey of its historical crimes, just as Turkey does a thousand times over against Israel," Shain said.
"But the issue of the Armenian genocide has become a political issue. It is not related right now to the historical debate," he said.
"Turkey has always tried to say there was no genocide and no massacre, and tried to change institutions around the world, in Paris, Washington and even at the Holocaust museum. This issue is part of a whole system in which Turkey is trying to escape its history."
Turkey gains strength, will host 32 NATO members during summit
Shain warned about Turkey’s strengthening role in the region, especially as Turkey is about to host 32 members of NATO during next week’s summit, including US President Donald Trump.
"Israel is in a huge struggle in the world over its positioning and the positioning of its image, and one of the issues that threatens us deeply is that Turkey and others are portraying us as having committed genocide in Gaza."
Shain explained that Turkey is capitalizing on Israel’s lower standing in the wake of the war in Iran.
“Turkey had enormous concern after the 12-day war that Israel would establish itself as a regional power in alliance with America. Right now, when the war in Iran has not been decided, Turkey is growing stronger, and the Gulf states are examining their ties with the United States. Turkey is exploiting its unique position as a power, and its hostility toward Israel is growing."