Businessman in Israel to calm stormy waters
Güncelleme Tarihi:
ANKARA - A prominent Turkish businessman of Jewish origins Jak Kamhi went to Tel-Aviv last week to ease tension between Turkey and Israel, daily Hürriyet reported. The tension started with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s harsh criticism of Israel’s attacks on Gaza during a panel in Davos summit.
Kamhi met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni during his two-day visit. According to daily Hürriyet, Kamhi drew attention to Turkey and Israel’s importance in the region as two democratic powers and stated that both sides’ harsh statements against each other do not serve to fix the relations. An Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranot confirmed Kamhi’s role of mediator in an article by İtaman Eihner.
The United States has also pointed to the importance of normalization between Turkish-Israeli relations. "Improving the relations between Turkey and Israel was the best way to follow for both of the countries," Robert Wexler, U.S. congressman and the co-chair of Congressional Turkey-Caucasus Group, said during his bilateral meetings with Erdoğan and President Abdullah Gül in Ankara. Former Turkish president Ahmet Necdet Sezer honored 84-year-old Kamhi with state eminent service award in 2007.
Kamhi also undertook an important role during the talks with the United States when the country imposed an arms embargo on Turkey after the Cyprus Peace Operation in 1974. Upon the award, Kamhi said every citizen has a duty to serve for his country.