Everyone’s talking about Israel’s crazy-disgusting treatment of the Turkish ambassador, his deliberate humiliation by the Israeli deputy foreign minister in a juvenile stunt. Weirdly, some in Israeli media are rationalizing it, per BBC:
"We wonder in Israel why the world relates to us with contempt," said a commentary in Ma’ariv – "and here is the answer: the pot calling the kettle black". In Ha’aretz, another commentator said the Israeli apology would have little effect and that "the damage has already been done". The most serious outcome of all, the writer said, was the "deep erosion in Turkish public opinion."
…However, there was defiance in some quarters of the Israeli press. A commentator in the leading daily Yediot Aharonot said the Foreign Ministry had "done well" to put a dent in Turkish "incitement" and its "anti-Semite policy". The writer said Israel had considerable leverage against Ankara, since "world Jewish capital" could boycott Turkey and exacerbate its "deteriorating" economic situation. Another writer in Ha’aretz agreed, saying Ayalon had, "albeit clumsily", risen "to restore the honour of the people".
"The days when Jews must cower in fear and fawn over those who spit in our faces are over," said an opinion piece in the Jerusalem Post. The writer felt that Ayalon had "nothing to apologize for" and had in fact showed "good, old-fashioned Jewish pride". – – –
