Ankara: Turkey has summoned Israel's ambassador to Ankara to demand an apology over the treatment of its own envoy to Tel Aviv as a row between the regional
allies over a television drama series escalated.
While Israel's media commended what it called the "hazing" of the Turkish ambassador on Monday, the deterioration in ties threatened to overshadow an upcoming
trip to Ankara by Defence Minister Ehud Barak.
Israel's ire had been sparked by the broadcast of an episode of the Turkish espionage drama, Valley of the Wolves, which the foreign ministry said depicted "Israel and Jews as baby-snatchers and war criminals."
In the episode, a Turkish secret agent storms an Israeli diplomatic mission to rescue a Turkish boy kidnapped by Mossad and then brushes off accusations of war crimes as
hypocritical.
Israeli media highlighted the fact that Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon delivered his dressing down while seated in a high chair while the Turkish ambassador
Ahmet Celikkol was made to sit on a low sofa.
Rather than summoning Celikkol to the ministry as is the norm, Ayalon saw him in his parliamentary office after making him wait in the corridor and telling staff to remove the
Turkish flag and refreshments from the table.
In response, Turkey's foreign ministry yesterday summoned the Israeli ambassador to Ankara, Gabby Levy, for a meeting to express its "annoyance".
The foreign ministry in Ankara said it expected "an explanation and apology" for "the attitude towards our ambassador in Tel Aviv which fell foul of diplomacy".
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, January 13, 2010, 09:17