Turkey and Israel are two of the most important countries in the Middle
East, but also are outsiders to the region for political and cultural
reasons. Here Bengio examines the historic, geo-strategic and
political-cultural roots of the Turkish-Israeli relationship, from the
1950s until today. Linking the relationship's evolution to the
complexities of Turkey's historical ties with the Arab world, and
changing domestic, regional and global conditions, the book traces the
ebb and flow of the curious ties between the two countries. Bengio calls
for a significant revision in the received wisdom about inter-Arab and
Arab-Israeli conflicts and rivalries, placing Turkey in a more central
role. The book approaches Middle Eastern affairs from inside the region,
based on Turkish, Israeli and Arab sources, providing a much needed
corrective to American - and British - centered accounts.