The well-known secret around town nowadays is the increasing number of contacts between Israel and Turkey. I don't know whether official contacts are working in the right direction. There are rumors, but when in the economy, there are concrete figures. When it comes to the economy; it is business as usual between Israel and Turkey. Let me tell you why...

The Mavi Marmara incident was traumatic for Turkey. For the first time since the fall of the Empire, citizens of Turkey were killed by a foreign army. Let me correct: They were killed by a friendly foreign army. That is the stark reality. So forget about the legality discussions of whether Israel had the right or not: It is bad by definition. You have to understand this to see why it definitely requires an apology. This is fact number one.

However, have you checked trade figures lately? Just do it. Bilateral trade between Israel and Turkey has increased around 30 percent since the incident. Despite all the political rhetoric, early demonstrations against Israel, a heated debate, etc., the connectivity is there to stay. Thanks to the economy. The latter is important in shaping the future of the Middle East. This is the area where we have to focus more. That is why I like to tell my friends from Israel that the best way to look for solutions for our current mundane problems is to try imagining the Middle East 20 years from now. Let me tell you, it is refreshing, gives you a new perspective. I do recommend it.

For instance, 20 years ago, would you ever imagine that Turkey's number one export item to Israel would be electric cars? Today it is the reality. Technology is changing. Economies are changing. So the Middle East may not be the same 20 years from now.

There are three things in common between Israel and Turkey. The first one is widely cited but let me reiterate: Some time ago, I had noted: "There are two types of countries in the Middle East, those that require demonstrations in their Tahrir Squares to initiate change and those that can use the ballot box as a transformational device." Israel and Turkey both belong to the second group. Sharing common values is good. We do.

The second similarity is that both Israel and Turkey are countries in flux. They are changing, and they are changing by migration. Israel is changing through external migration whereas Turkey is changing through internal migration. Newcomers to Israel are more conservative - so are the newcomers to Turkish cities. But I think the aspirations are the same. In both cases the target consumption basket is the average consumption basket of our shared civilization, which is good.

The third element is the private-sector-driven economic dynamism in Israel and Turkey. In both countries, there is no need for a "zero problems policy" to get permission from the political elites for business people to interact (unless it's a huge government contract, of course). It is not "business by design," where politicians need to build bridges and issue permission for businesspeople to interact. It is "business by interaction." Two businessmen from both countries simply come together and trade. Connectivity does not require prior permission in the case of the two market economies of our region. For the other countries in the Middle East, it is business by design. That's where you need Prof. Davutoğlu and his "zero problems policy" and it is understandable. For me at least.

Let me also underline the fact that, despite the incident, Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey, continues to operate four daily flights between İstanbul's Atatürk Airport and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion. The flights are operating at around 90 percent capacity. Good for maintaining the connectivity.

The Israeli-Turkish example attests to the success of business by interaction. Time for "It's the economy, stupid!" in the Middle East. Let's trade more! Let's focus more on the economy.

This commentary was published on 09.07.2011 in Hürriyet Daily News.