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Israel-Turkey Accord Will Not Signal Near-Term Revival of Defense Ties
(Defense News) Barbara Opall-Rome - An agreement between Israel and Turkey to normalize ties, announced Monday, is unlikely to trigger near-term resumption of defense trade or bilateral military cooperation. "This agreement does not confer a green light to restore the intimacy we once knew among our defense industries and military cadres, even if there was such a desire in Turkey, which is doubtful," said Giora Eiland, a retired Israeli major general and former Israeli national security adviser. "The Turkish security establishment that once saw itself as operating in harmony with Israel no longer exists." Erdogan "managed to purge or repress the vestiges of Ataturk" and "we don't have natural, like-minded friends there anymore." Eiland said Erdogan's policies in support of the Muslim Brotherhood are antagonistic toward Israel, and that it would be irresponsible to pursue meaningful intelligence, operational and technology transfer ties under the current regime in Ankara.