The Israel Government has no reason to worry about the effects of the Turkish-Iraqi agreement, the Ankara newspaper “Halkei” says in an editorial expressing sentiments prevailing in influential circles in Turkey. A similar article, written by Nihat Erim, leader of the opposition Republican Party, appeared a few days ago in the same paper.
The editorial says that “Israel has cause to be gratified” at the Turkish-Iraqi rapprochement. “The Turkish Republic has never sacrificed friendship with one state when establishing friendlier relations with another,” the paper states. “On the contrary, Turkey endeavors to remove the causes of misunderstanding and even of enmity among nations; and responsible Turkish statesmen have made clarifying statements from time to time as their contribution toward allaying any anxiety on the part of Israel. The Turkish government does not abrogate the major tenets of its foreign policy; Turkey works to lessen tension, not to increase it; and that is why Israel can have entire confidence in Turkey.”
Several other Turkish newspapers, however, carry attacks on American Jewry and Israel alleging that they oppose Turkish industrialization in order to leave the industrial leadership of the Middle East to Israel. In this campaign, publications of both political parties were involved, including the semi-official “Zafer” and the Republican magazine “Akis.”
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