Israel and Turkey A New Balance of Power in the Middle East

Abstract

Turkey and Israel are two of the major non-Arab states in the Middle East that in past used to enjoy promising bilateral relations based on economic, military, and strategic grounds. Since international relations are not static but dynamic, therefore, these two friendly nations also turned into each other’s enemies. In the current scenario of the Middle East rapprochement between them seems a distant reality, however, various grounds are available for them to cooperate. These two power states have the potential to make a powerful alliance that could balance the power of Iran in the region and the eastern Mediterranean. The research is based on qualitative work that revolves around the questions of ‘what and how’ for the deep understanding of Turkish- Israeli relationship, which makes it evaluative research. This qualitative research is based on secondary and primary data collection methods. The major finding of this paper trace out the probability of an alliance between the two. The regional rivalries in the Middle East, especially in the eastern Mediterranean and most importantly their domestic policies are giving Turkey and Israel a tough time to reconcile. Even the regional powers will not welcome such an alliance that could undermine their influence in the region.