“Out with the old and in with the new” seems to be the political trend in both Israel and Turkey, casting their joint military alliance into doubt.
On December 21, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s seven-party coalition collapsed when the Knesset voted overwhelmingly for early elections on May 17. The vote was a retaliation for Netanyahu’s peace policies culminating in the Wye River land-for-security accord signed in October. The 120-member parliament unanimously confirmed a “freeze” on any peace negotiations with the Palestinians.
In Turkey on January 7, old-time leftist Bulent Ecevit was charged with forming a new government just two weeks after abandoning a previous attempt. He pledged a swift end to a crisis that has unsettled Turkey’s powerful military, already worried about Islamist activism and continued national instability.
The government, the sixth since 1985, would replace that of caretaker Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, who was toppled in a parliament vote in November over allegations of corruption. On his first attempt last December, Ecevit failed to put together a coalition largely because of resistance from conservative leader Tansu Ciller. In a surprising decision, however, Ciller belatedly pledged her support for an Ecevit-led government.
Having served as premier three times in the 1970s, Ecevit is best known for ordering the 1974 invasion of Cyprus. His interim government will serve only till April, when nationwide elections will be held. Turkey has been marked by instability since Tansu Ciller’s rightist-led government fell from power in 1985. In some quarters, Ciller’s support for Ecevit’s interim government is seen as a temporary measure to gain a semblance of national unity before the April elections, where she stands a realistic possibility of regaining power.
This political instability in Ankara and Jerusalem has heightened fears that the future of the Israeli-Turkish military alliance could be shaky.
The close ties between Israel and overwhelmingly Moslem (but officially secular) NATO-member Turkey have worked to keep Arab states at bay in their Middle East expansion. As The Trumpet has repeatedly stated, a fraying of these ties could have serious consequences in the region.
Since a 1996 agreement was concluded with Israel, Turkey has been consistently at odds with Iraq, Iran, Egypt and Syria (not to mention Greece and Russia, over the Cyprus missile crisis). Iranian radio reported that their problems with Turkey have been over “Ankara’s enthusiasm for expanding its military and security relations with Israel.” Back in Syria, officials in Damascus consider the military alliance to be tantamount to a coalition against them, fueling suspicion that Egypt, Syria and Iran would unite in an alliance to counter the perceived threat.
What will happen to the Turkish-Israeli military alliance? In his book, Turkey in Prophecy, Herbert W. Armstrong reveals the future of today’s political instability within the region. “Yes, as staggering and unbelievable as it sounds, one of the major events God points out that will bring His wrath down upon Turkey will be the delivering of thousands of British, American and possibly Israeli refugees into the hands of the ‘beast’ power in Central Europe when the military takeover of Palestine occurs.” To find favor with the powerful European Union, Turkey will betray the peoples of the very nations that it is allied with today. Turkey is landlord to the vital Cilicia Gate—the escape route via land—as well as the major sea gate, the Bosporus Dardanelles. The British, American and Israeli peoples will have nowhere to run (Gen. 27:41). The Turkish-Israeli alliance will end in betrayal.
Look for Turkey to stretch every diplomatic muscle to gain further acceptance within the EU. Watch Turkey’s reaction to the temporarily alleviated Cyprus missile crisis—Turkey has already decided to buy Patriot missiles from the U.S. to counter this possible military threat.
Israel will continue to ally with any neighboring country remotely friendly, as they become further politically and militarily isolated from their traditional allies.