Turkish-Israeli tensions 'performative', analyst says

A regional expert has described recent tensions between Turkey and Israel as largely “performative”, arguing that the apparent diplomatic friction masks sustained cooperation between the two countries across multiple strategic domains.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Monday, Turkologist Mushesh Khudaverdyan said that despite periodic rhetorical escalation, Ankara and Tel Aviv continue to maintain significant cooperation, while Israel also preserves robust strategic ties with Azerbaijan, a close partner of Turkey.

“Given the depth of cooperation between Turkey and Israel across several sectors and Israel’s strong strategic relationship with Azerbaijan, the tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv are essentially performative,” Khudaverdyan said.

The analyst suggested that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s public criticism of Israel, including statements expressing support for Lebanon and broader regional positions, is primarily aimed at strengthening Ankara’s standing in the Arab world.

Khudaverdyan also referred to Erdogan’s recent remarks comparing potential Turkish military action against Israel to previous interventions in Nagorno-Karabakh and Libya. He dismissed such references as politically motivated rhetoric, noting that the Karabakh issue is effectively closed on the international stage.

He further claimed that Erdogan has previously acknowledged Turkish involvement in Azerbaijan’s military operations through advisers and commanders, contributing to Baku’s battlefield success.

According to Khudaverdyan, fluctuations in Turkish-Israeli relations are typically short-lived and should not be interpreted as fundamental geopolitical realignments.

“There is little basis to expect a level of deterioration in Turkey-Israel relations that would ultimately serve Armenian interests,” he added.