Alliance theory : the case of Turkey and Israel

Abstract

The question of the origins of alliances is one of the most debated issues in the theory of International Relations (IR). After reviewing the main theoretical approaches about alliances formation, the short-lived alliance of 1958 between Turkey and Israel and the rapidly developing new alliance between the same countries will be examined to test the alternative explanations of alliance behavior. The Turkish-Israeli alliances are of considerable interest intrinsically, given the importance of the two states and the region(s) in which they are located, and theoretically, given that both can shed light on different approaches to alliance formation and the relative dearth of attention paid to alliances between or among smaller states. The various factors adduced to explain alliance formation - external, domestic and ideational - all play a role in this case study. Nevertheless, the evidence of the Turkish-Israeli relations indicate the predominance of external factors.