Evaluation Note / Burcu Gültekin Punsmann, PhD Turkey-Israel: Towards a Decoupling between Economics and Politics

"The private entrepreneur has emerged as a third actor beside the military and the diplomat in Turkish-Israeli ties. Business has become an area immune from political upheavals and carries its own dynamics. Economic cooperation developed throughout the 50's with the support of both governments and remained highly sensitive to regional politics in the 80's. Today the trade volume between Turkey and Israel is at its highest level in history.

With the decoupling between economics and politics, business pragmatism is trumping political tensions. The well integrated web of private interests constitutes the strongest bond between the two countries and societies. There is a pressing need to go beyond the sterile polemic about 'who needs whom the most' as these intense economic interactions verging towards interdependence points at the ever increasing cost in case of disruption..."

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