Turkey has relayed the discomfort felt due to recent statements made by Israel’s Minister of National Defense Ehud Barak regarding Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MİT) Undersecretary Hakan Fidan.
According to information obtained from diplomatic sources, Israel’s Ankara Ambassador Gaby Levy was called to the Foreign Affairs Ministry yesterday in which the displeasure experienced due to hearing the statements made by Barak was explicitly expressed to the ambassador.
News had surfaced in the press, that Israeli’s Defense Minister Barak had made allegations that Turkey’s intelligence agency undersecretary Fidan was partial to Iran. Furthermore, Barak also expressed apprehensions that Israel’s secrets may be shared with Tehran.
Barak’s statements were made during a Labour Party meeting and the defense minister was apparently unaware he was being recorded at the time. Although Barak supposedly referred to Turkey as a friend and major strategic ally, he also stated that an Iran sympathizer had recently been appointed to head Turkey’s ‘MOSSAD.’ Barak went on to state; “There are quite a few secrets of ours (entrusted to Turkey) and the thought that they could become open to the Iranians over the next several months, let's say, is quite disturbing.”
