ANKARA, Apr 12 (NNN-ANADOLU) – In an interesting move that transcends years-long diplomatic standoff between the two countries, Turkey began supplying medical equipment to Israel, to help the country in its struggle against the COVID-19 outbreak.
The medical package comprises face masks, surgical gloves and protective coveralls.
Israel also recently acquired one million masks from China, to protect its soldiers working on the front-lines against contagion. The cargo will be delivered to Turkey’s southern Incirlik Air Base and will be picked by planes coming from Israel, where nearly 100 people have already lost their lives due to the virus.
In return, Israel is set to green light Turkey’s shipment of medical aid to the Palestinian Authority.
Relations between Turkey and Israel broke down in May, 2010, during the Mavi Marmara crisis, in which a Turkish-owned aid flotilla, attempting to breach the Gaza Strip blockade, was raided by Israeli commandos, who killed 10 activists.
Following this assault, then-Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, urged that Israel should be punished for its “bloody massacre.”
In Mar, 2013, with US mediation, Israel and Turkey’s prime ministers proceeded to normalise diplomatic ties and stop legal action against former Israeli commanders, while making arrangements to compensate the victims’ families.
Karol Wasilewski, an analyst at the Warsaw-based Polish Institute of International Affairs, described this solidarity move from Ankara as “corona-diplomacy” — the achievement of political goals through humanitarian help.
“This is surely a very interesting development, yet I doubt it will break the ice between Turkey and Israel, as the friction between them has been especially deep during the last decade,” Wasilewski told Arab News.
“When it comes to the Palestinian issue, Israeli authorities are aware that if the disease spreads rapidly there — especially in Gaza — this will constitute a huge challenge for Israel itself, so agreeing on Turkish aid for the Palestinian Authority is just pragmatism,” Wasilewski added.
