Vladimir Avatkov: the Turkish-Israeli conflict is heating up fast

Vladimir Avatkov, Doctor of Political Science, Head of the Department of Middle and Post-Soviet East at the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Professor at the Diplomatic Academy of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, has sat down with International Affairs magazine to talk about Turkish-Israeli relations.

"Despite attempts to normalize the situation in the Middle East, it is still a long way off. Moreover, new and old conflicts have recently been heating up, above all the Turkish-Israeli conflict which, given the situation as a whole, will play a significant, if not key, role in the Middle East in the near future," Vladimir Avatkov said.

"The positions of these two countries’ leaders are irreconcilable, with the interests of Israel and Turkey in the region have been increasingly diverging recently," he added.

"Syria has been and remains the main point of confrontation between Turkey and Israel. Here, the Turkish Republic is wary of possible Israeli attacks on its interests, including physical, as it happened recently. Meanwhile, Turkey has demanded that the Israeli leader be placed on a wanted list, a move that will also have its consequences," Vladimir Avatkov reminded.

"Turkish leader Erdogan has repeatedly stated that he will not stop persecuting Netanyahu even after his premiership is over, and that he will never stop until justice is served. The conflict will apparently continue to escalate, and this is causing serious concern in the West, including Washington. That said, the weakening of two of Washington's regional allies may be part of its strategy to transform the region," the expert observed.

"One thing is clear: the Turkey-Israel conflict is developing fast. Many experts in both countries believe this will play an overarching role for both countries and the region as a whole," Vladimir Avatkov emphasized.

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