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How America Can Help Its Friends Make Nice
(New York Times) - Michael Herzog and Soner Cagaptay - These days, there is a degree of openness in both Israel and Turkey to the idea of reconciliation. However, there are still tensions between the parties, especially because of recent Turkish indictments against senior Israelis involved in the June 2010 flotilla episode. A rapprochement will therefore probably require American mediation. Turkey seems interested in intervention inside Syria only if America and NATO back such an endeavor. A Turkish-Israeli dialogue on Syria could bolster Israel's interest in regime change and enlist Israel to generate American support. A normalized Turkish-Israeli relationship would also open opportunities for cooperation against the Assad government. Michael Herzog, a former chief of staff to Israel's minister of defense, and Soner Cagaptay, are fellows at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.