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NATO Approves Israeli Representation to Its Headquarters | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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urkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (C) and NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg arrive for a meeting in Ankara on April 21, 2016. / AFP PHOTO


BRUSSELS- On Wednesday it has been approved according to NATO for non-member Israel setting up representation at its Brussels headquarters, which in theory approaches somehow the reunion between NATO member Turkey and the Jewish state.

Worth calling that the relationship between Turkey and Israel has been under still-raising efforts to cover up a severely damaged one after the rain by Israeli in 2010 on a Turkish boat, the Mavi Marmara, which had been trying to breach a blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Not a NATO member, the foreign ministry of Israel welcomed the movie, which nonetheless it plays a partner status as a participant in the alliance’s Mediterranean Dialogue programmes together with six other non-NATO countries in the region. NATO stated that David Walzer, the ambassador of Israel to EU, would now also head its mission at alliance headquarters.

Noting that Ankara opposed some forms of NATO cooperation with Israel following the Mavi Marmara incident in the past, however on Wednesday, Turkey’s mission to NATO had no comment. In 2010, Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara, which was the lead ship in a group of boats trying to break the blockade, and killed nine Turks in clashes with activists.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu that Ankara has discussed the opening Israeli mission at NATO with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, adding “We said we may welcome this if all countries are treated equally”.

Cavusoglu stated; “It’s important that not only Israel but other southern partners are granted the same right.”