Classified international diplomatic cables, leaked
by the whistleblower site WikiLeaks, contain accounts of Israeli
Ambassador to Turkey Gabby Levy's concerns over the anti-Israel sentiment
expressed by Turkish leader Erdogan. Levy described Turkey’s prime
minister as a “fundamentalist” who hates the Jewish state
on religious grounds and that the diplomatic problems faced by Israel
from Turkey emanate solely from Erdogan and not necessarily the people
themselves.
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 001549
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU IS
SUBJECT: ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TRACES HIS PROBLEMS TO ERDOGAN
REF: ANKARA 1532
Classified By: AMB James F. Jeffrey, for reasons 1.4(b,d)
¶1. (C) During an October 26 call on the Ambassador, Israeli
Ambassador Gabby Levy registered concern over the recent deterioration in his country's bilateral relations with Turkey
and the conviction that the relationship's decline is attributable
exclusively to Prime Minister Erdogan. Levy said Foreign
Minister Davutoglu had relayed a message to him through the visiting
Czech foreign minister that “things will get better.”
He had also fielded messages from senior civil servants, xxxxx urging
him to weather quietly Erdogan's harsh public criticisms of Israel.
The latter claimed Erdogan's repeated angry references to the humanitarian
situation in Gaza are for “domestic political consumption”
only.
¶2. (C) Levy dismissed political calculation as a motivator
for Erdogan's hostility, arguing the prime minister's party had not
gained a single point in the polls from his bashing of Israel. Instead, Levy attributed Erdogan's harshness
to deep-seated emotion: “He's a fundamentalist. He hates us
religiously” and his hatred is spreading. Levy
cited a perceived anti-Israeli shift in Turkish foreign policy, including
the GoT's recent elevation of its relations with Syria and its quest
for observer status in the Arab League.
¶3. (C) Comment: Our discussions with contacts both inside and
outside of the Turkish government on Turkey's deteriorating relations with Israel tend to confirm Levy's
thesis that Erdogan simply hates Israel. xxxxx discusses
contributing reasons for Erdogan's tilt on Iran/Middle East isues,
but antipathy towards Israel is a factor.