ANKARA, Turkey — When Israel's national airline, El Al, suspended flights to Turkey last week, Israeli officials cited Turkey's refusal to permit Israeli air marshals to carry their weapons on the ground.
But some officials here worry that Israel's decision to halt the flights may be linked to an escalating war of words between Turkey and its closest regional ally.
Turkey's deep military and trade ties to the Jewish state have earned this predominantly Muslim nation crucial support from American congressional leaders and successive U.S. administrations. The rift is causing concern in Washington. President Bush is expected to raise the issue during talks with Turkish leaders here today.
In recent months, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Israel's crackdown in the Palestinian territories, calling it "state terror."
"While we don't have a problem with the Israeli people," continuing Israeli operations against Palestinian refugee camps in the Gaza Strip would "encourage anti-Semitism in the world," Erdogan said.
Most Turks share their leader's distaste for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's policies, which they consider to be hard-line. In late May, Erdogan upbraided visiting Israeli Infrastructure Minister Joseph Paritzky over his government's actions. The Turkish prime minister asked Paritzky, "What is the difference between terrorists who kill Israeli civilians and Israel, which also kills civilians?" according to some people who attended the meeting. Erdogan's "tone was cold, arrogant and reprimanding," said one source, who declined to be identified.
Barry Jacobs, a spokesman for the American Jewish Committee who was among a contingent of Jewish activists who met Erdogan in Washington recently, said Erdogan's approach during the U.S. meeting had not been "very different."
"There are ways that friendly states talk about each other; those boundaries were clearly overstepped -- we found his comments disturbing," Jacobs said.
Israel recently broke its official silence with a statement from its Foreign Ministry: "Turkey's allegations that Israel's security measures contribute to anti-Semitism is inappropriate and only reinforces those wishing to harm the Jewish people."
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, in an address to lawmakers Monday, warned that the Jewish state would no longer be able to "restrain itself" in light of Erdogan's remarks.
