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Real Rapprochement with Israel Requires Turkey to Tackle Anti-Semitism
(Times of Israel) Aykan Erdemir - Both Turkey and Israel have a lot to gain from detente, and any step toward easing tensions in the Middle East should be cause for celebration. However, I have serious concerns about the shaky foundations of Turkish-Israeli rapprochement, and remain unconvinced about its sustainability. Turkish analysts are expected to turn a blind eye to years of anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli propaganda disseminated by Turkey's top officials and their mouthpieces. But it would be a mistake to do so. Turkish society needs to recognize and confront the pervasive anti-Semitism and anti-Israeli sentiment that has taken hold of wide segments of the population, due in large part to the influence of the ruling AKP. The writer is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former member of the Turkish parliament.