Opinion
Lieberman-style diplomacy
Alon Liel
Published: 13.01.10, 00:46
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1. sure..
observer   (01.13.10)
Diplomacy doesnt mean kissing anothers behind all day long. For long enough, Erdogan again and again made distasteful comments and threw wild accusations at Israel in the public sphere of things while Israeli politicians kept quiet for the most part. Enough is enough. The turks got upset about this? Good, then the message was delivered
2. "we must accept this until it blows over"
soludo   (01.13.10)
where have we heard that before?
3. Another licker Dr.
jeww   (01.13.10)
stop licking around, we should prepare to free kurdistan!!
4. It is ridiculous for a sovereign nation
michael   (01.13.10)
to have to have its President humiliated in front tof the world. Whateve happened behind closed doors happened in private to an ambassador. Once again the turks feel thay have a right to speak freely publicly (whether there allegations are true or not) is hypocritical. Rebuking someone in private is not the same as publiy ridiculing a country 4 to 5 times in public. It would be ridiculous for any normal country 's foreign ministry to tolerate such abuse. Sometimes a nation's pride comes before economics and this is one of those times.
5. I am ,as an arab really like liberman -Netanyaho
Sami ,   Lebanon   (01.13.10)
alliance. They show the real ugly face of the Israeli over-confidence and arrogance .The years of useless diplomatic works of the looser arabs rulers hasn't damaged the world wide reputation of Israel ,like these fellows did and still gain high rating among Israeli population .Amazon how the extremism blind and obscure minds.
6. Mr. Liel your style of diplomacy has already been tried
steve ,   boston, USA   (01.13.10)
Mr. Liel your diplomatic style has already been tried for the past 16 years and the results are not good. Groveling does not work. Mr. Lieberman has a different approach, let's give it a chance.
7. Lieberman is Right
Joe Klien ,   USA   (01.13.10)
Israel's foreign policy has been a mess ever since Oslo. Thank god Lieberman is bringing back sanity and respect. Weakness never solves anything we need guts and Lieberman is the guy to dish it out. Bravo Lieberman
8. tURKEY
tOM ,   us   (01.13.10)
It is ver sad to observe formal relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorate. Erdogan's shouting and willful loutish affront to President Peres and his continuing public vile remarks about Israel are his doing. Israel knew the lower chair rebuke for ambassador a stunning response. It was non verbal and far beter than any of Erdogn's incitefull harangues. Israel is not a vasssal to be told it should know its place. Turkey and Israel have shared interests. Hopefully they will prevail and improved relations soon recommence. Israel should not take the insults quietly
9. Alon Liel, I wish you'd worry less about
leo ,   usa   (01.13.10)
Turkey being humiliated by Israel and more about Israel being humiliated by Turkey.
10. Best saved for last
Ilan ,   Ariel   (01.13.10)
I can read this crap again and again so long as it ends with 'former FM director general' . Baruch She Patranu To the issue. Turkey is in need of a shock so that the Ergat PM will realize that good relations are a two way street. Ultimately the policy of Turkey turning to Iran and moving back to the 17th century will not benefit the country.
11. No ISRAEL IS RIG'HT
Alex Klemm ,   Germany   (01.13.10)
Everyone here is backing israel, dont go one inch back... arrogant tuerkey with no idea of ruling or democracy or anything teaching israel how to behave LOL
12. diplomacy
colin   (01.13.10)
Finally Israel can be proud. Turkey spreds lies and when Lieberman policies corrct the system YNET in its stupidity tries to demean.Israel The FM must now also attack these leftest traitors THE FILTHY LYING MEDIA IN ISRAEL Starting with the anti Israeli anti semetic Ynet.
13. Denouncing Israel in its war against Hamas.
Ron B. ,   Lod   (01.13.10)
Criticize Israel? Certainly. But those who so loudly denounce Israel in its war against Hamas are siding with some of the most virulent Jew-haters on earth. They may tell themselves that doesn’t make them anti-Semites. But it does. “When people criticize Zionists,” Martin Luther King said in 1968, “they mean Jews. You are talking anti-Semitism.” More about the poor oppressed “Palestinians” at : http://xrl.us/bjt95
14. Dr. Alon Liel why are you not the Israeli FM?
Ibrahim ,   Ankara, Turkey   (01.13.10)
We need academics like yourself in the International political scene. Individuals like Mr. Danny Ayalon can only tarnish a States image through populist acts such as the one displayed to the Turkish Ambassador. Indivduals like yourself can only make a State more respectable. P.S. The current rift between the two Governments have no bearing on the Turkish-Israeli relations at a public level. The majority of the Turks will always view their Israeli brothers and sisters as just that: Brothers and Sisters.
15. Comment
Mohammad ,   Jordan   (01.13.10)
I am against this stupid Turkish TV show. However, that will never justify the way the Turkish ambassdor has been treated. As the author said, there are certain codes and steps MODERN countries use to show dissaproval or dissatisfaction. When you appoint a bouncer as a foreign minister, this is what you get!
16. Appeasing people who incite against us would be rediculous
Daniel ,   Formerly Israel   (01.13.10)
17. Foreign politics for the interior
Apa ,   NYC   (01.13.10)
Behavior like this will do nothing whatsoever in regards to Turkey except worsen the relations. Clearly this dressing-down of the Turkish envoy is to show strength to an interior constituency.
18. Lieberman is the best for dealing with dogs
smith   (01.13.10)
19. Liberman the Gangster stike again
Yossi normal Israeli ,   Israel   (01.13.10)
Liberman the Gangster stike again
20. liel
alexi   (01.13.10)
Now you know why liel followed olmert in his incredible grovelling appeasement. Liebrman is using russian direct brutal tactics. The middle east is different. You don't shake hands strongly nor do you embarass ambassadors which orientalists consider worse than war. erdogan has provoked israel and wants it to submit to land for peace with syria and all else which was promoted by israel's number one coward of all time olmert. Israel can firmly but respectfully advise turkey that it rejects erdogan' statements and the matter is closed, finished. Ayalon who is really a labourite wimp is overreacting or perhaps follow liberman's directive. Well turkish honor must be maintained though israel can tell erdogan in private to go fly a kite.Ben eliezer is going to far to appease erdogan and willl only lead to trouble. In the meantime, Israel shoudl sign deals with Greece.
21. Diplomacy
Abba ,   Modi'in, Israel   (01.13.10)
When Japan attacked the US while its diplomatic envoys were in the country pretending to talk "peace", they were humiliated and sent packing. Inciteful words and TV shows can be just as dangerous as bombs, and in the long run, even more so. The Turkish rulers are basically on the same iniquitous level and should receive the same message. Israel's foreign ministry has no reason to apologize.
22. It's not ridiculous
Pragmatist   (01.13.10)
Read the recent piece by Thomas Friedman in the NYTimes. He's right that the arab world needs to start calling out it's own problems and it's own people instead of just using the Jews and the Jewish state of Israel as a scapegoat for their internal, domestic problems. That's what Ayalon was doing. Unfortunately, the arab world is determined to be a teflon group of people who can never be criticized. That is slowly changing and needs to keep on its current track.
23. Alon Liel, be quiet. Turkish regime is an enemy of the Jews
avraham ,   nyc   (01.13.10)
24. Well done Mr Ayalon
Angus MacMeldrew ,   Israel   (01.13.10)
Enough of grovelling and turning the other cheek!
25. #5 get things right, mate
Noa   (01.13.10)
Europe likes Arabs for oil and not for their ethics. Wait until Europe has alternative energy resources. How can you think Turks can behave like bullies and then be treated like gentlemen? Besides, Liebermann knew how to talk to Egypt, he is probably right about Turkey, too.
26. Turkey is completely right
hulusi ,   san francisco usa   (01.13.10)
Israel as a country should learn how to live without guns in the region. Turkey is a peaceful country and does not support war in the region. Kurdistan cannot be established because Kurdistan might be another Israel type of a country in the region...No war! Peace..
27. What Do We Want?
Ariel Ben Yochanan ,   Kfar Tapuah, Efraim,   (01.13.10)
B"H We want Jewish looking, Jewish thinking, G-d loving Jewish Jews in the diplomatic service. Enough of this clean-shaven gentile look, designed to beg the nations for their acceptance of Israel as just "another nation amongst the nations". If the Indian prime minister can wear his turban on the international scene, or the more so Israeli diplomats can and should look: Jewish.
28. No suprise there then
Ussishkin ,   Tel Aviv Israel   (01.13.10)
Look at the calibre of the man who is the Foreign Minister. And if Turkey joins an alliance with Iran and Syria, the tactics of verbal bullying, the resort of an ex-bouncer, is likely to make us look more than rrdiculous.
29. approval
Ahmet KILINC ,   Ankara Turkey   (01.13.10)
i read your essay and i want to tell you that you have a commonsensical approach to this incident. and i approve that Turkish envoy’s humiliation makes your Foreign Ministry look ridiculous.
30. #28
Israel Israeli ,   Tel Aviv   (01.13.10)
You are clearly an expert in diplomacy. What do you say about Livni? Under her, Israeli leaders Olmert and Barak were condemned as war criminals like Mugabe while Hamas became internationally accepted. If you think Lieberman is bad, you surely think that Livni is far worse.
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