Israel Plays Down Deterioration of Turkey-Israel Relationships

Top Israeli diplomats¹ have to leave Turkey today as part of the diplomatic row over last year's deadly flotilla raid.

But as CRI's Jerusalem correspondent Xiao Yu report, the Israeli side is downplaying the strained ties between the two countries.

 
Ahead of Wednesday's expulsion of the Israeli diplomats from Ankara, the Israeli side has remained virtually silent on the matter.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak, like many other Israeli officials, is trying to add a note of calm when it comes to their relationship with Turkey.

"Israel and Turkey are the two strongest nations in the Middle East and in many respects the most important. We have disputes, and even in the case of disputes, it's very important that the two sides use their brains and not act from the gut²."

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also revealed that his government may impose more sanctions against Israel amid its refusal to apologize for last year's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

"By tomorrow, our mutual³ diplomatic relations will have been downgraded to the second secretary level. Trade relations and military relations have been suspended."

Erdogan hasn't specified⁴ what sort of sanctions they may bring down against Israel.

The Turkish side has promised tobe a strong lobby to try to help the Palestinians gain statehood at the next annual meeting of the U.N. General Assembly later this month.

The Turkish Prime Minister is also considering visiting the Gaza Strip.

Turkey has already suspended its mutual defense⁵ projects and defense purchases from Israel.

Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer warned earlier this week that the consequences of a possible trade embargo⁶ by Turkey would be expensive for Israel.

For CRI, this is Xiaoyu from Jerusalem.

1 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 gut   

n.[pl.]胆量；内脏；adj.本能的；vt.取出内脏

参考例句：

• It is not always necessary to gut the fish prior to freezing.冷冻鱼之前并不总是需要先把内脏掏空。
• My immediate gut feeling was to refuse.我本能的直接反应是拒绝。

3 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

4 specified   

adj.特定的

参考例句：

• The architect specified oak for the wood trim. 那位建筑师指定用橡木做木饰条。
• It is generated by some specified means. 这是由某些未加说明的方法产生的。

5 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

6 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。