Israeli-Turkish Relations at the End of the Cold War

Israeli-Turkish Relations at the End of the Cold War

The Geopolitics of Denying the Armenian Genocide

$119.95

Hardcover
2025 Edinburgh
ISBN: 978-1-3995-0735-6
Languages: English
Categories: , , ,

Description

Analyses how behind-the-scenes cooperation between Ankara and Jerusalem in the 1980s was shaped by Turkey’s campaign to block international recognition of the Armenian Genocide
  • Utilises declassified materials from American and Israeli archives and thirty oral interviews conducted by the author
  • Reveals the influence of Turkey’s military leadership in easing tensions with Israel and the rise of Turgut Özal as a key figure in strengthening tie
  • Uncovers how divisions within Israel’s diplomatic corps reflected broader dilemmas over supporting Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide while protecting Jerusalem’s strategic interests in Washington and Brussels
In the shadows of Cold War politics, Israel quietly aligned itself with Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide. Why, and at what cost? Israeli–Turkish Relations at the End of the Cold War is the first book to pull back the curtain on the pivotal 1980s, revealing a period of clandestine diplomacy, strategic bargaining and calculated international memory trade-offs that reshaped Middle Eastern alliances. Eldad Ben Aharon traces Israel’s diplomatic manoeuvring through key geopolitical events, including Iran’s Islamic Revolution, the July 1980 Jerusalem Law, Turkey’s September 1980 military coup, and the 1982 First Lebanon War, alongside its secret dealings with Ankara. He situates these developments within broader regional and global shifts, such as Turkey’s 1987 bid to join the European Economic Community, U.S. foreign policy under Ronald Reagan and the early stages of the American 'war on terror.' Ben Aharon challenges the conventional wisdom that credits American Jewish organisations and Turkish Jews with shaping Ankara–Jerusalem relations and influencing Washington’s policies. Ultimately, he shows how individual diplomats, operating in the shadows, forged an alliance that redefined Israeli–Turkish relations for decades to come.

Additional information

Pages 304 Pages
Weight 1.5 lbs
Dimensions 6.5 × 8.5 in

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