Israel's apology to Turkey covered in world media, with Israeli Press lambasting Ayalon

This week's diplomatic row between Turkey and Israel, which ended with Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon sending an official letter of apology to Turkish Ambassador to Tel Aviv Oguz Celikkol, was covered widely in both the Arab and international media. On Monday, Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned Turkey's Ambassador to Israel Oguz Celikkol to complain about a Turkish TV drama's negative portrayal of Israeli officials. Ayalon invited the media to cover the start of the meeting in Jerusalem, where he avoided shaking hands with the ambassador, placed an Israeli flag but no Turkish one on the table between them, and seated Celikkol on a low couch, accentuating the sense of a slight. Ayalon later conceded his behavior was inappropriate. A Lebanese daily said of the row, "Israel had to apologize, as Turkey's threat (to withdraw its ambassador) was effective." London-based Al-Quds al-Arabi wrote that Turkey gave Israel a taste of its own medicine, forcing it to apologize. Britain's Financial Times quoted Alon Liel, a Turkey expert and former top Israeli diplomat, accusing Ayalon of making "Israeli diplomacy look ridiculous," adding that Israel needs Turkey, a leading player in the region, more than Turkey needs Israel. The Israeli press also covered the issue extensively, accusing Ayalon of making a serious mistake that wreaked havoc on Turkish-Israeli ties. Haaretz daily wrote that the Turkish nation would never forget the insult to its ambassador. The Jerusalem Post accused Ayalon of shooting his own country in the foot, stressing how his blunder could hurt Turkish-Israeli ties in the future. Yisrael Hayom daily also accused Ayalon of "stupidity" for insulting the Turkish ambassador before the cameras, and Maariv daily lambasted Ayalon for seating Celikkon on a lower chair than his. In their coverage, Iranian press and news agencies said Turkey's threat to withdraw its ambassador from Tel Aviv if Israeli officials didn't make amends forced Israel to backtrack and issue an apology. In related news, Israeli President Shimon Peres said yesterday that Ayalon's actions reflected the "mistake of one man, not of the state." Speaking to Haaretz daily, he added, "It was not diplomatic ... and it's good that he apologized. This should not be connected to the whole state or to all diplomats. We must learn not to do this again."