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(Updates: Israel issues second, stronger apology to Turkey and Turkey threatens to recall its ambassador to Israel.)

A diplomatic spat is threatening to worsen Israel鈥檚 strained relations with Turkey, traditionally one of its most important allies in the region. The rift exposes growing Israeli frustration with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who in a bid to increase Turkey鈥檚 regional standing has increasingly spoken out against Israel.

This latest crisis included a showdown at Israel鈥檚 Foreign Ministry, where Turkey鈥檚 ambassador was summoned to explain Mr. Erdogan鈥檚 recent harsh criticism, as well as a TV show that portrayed Israeli intelligence agents holding a woman and her baby hostage.

Breaking with diplomatic protocol, Israeli officials failed to include the customary Turkish flag on the table between them and the Turkish ambassador, whom they seated on a low couch. To rub it in, they instructed the press members in attendance to note that they were sitting in higher chairs and the usual diplomatic niceties were conspicuously absent.

鈥淭he message was, 鈥榃e鈥檝e had enough,鈥欌�� says Ephraim Inbar, an expert on Turkey-Israel relations at Israel鈥檚 Bar-Ilan University. 鈥淓rdogan has taken things too far. It might have not been the best treatment for an ambassador, but it came from the gut. The signal is that we鈥檙e not going to take it anymore.鈥�

A ploy to derail Barak's fence-mending visit?

But there鈥檚 also reported disagreement among Israel鈥檚 upper echelons as to how to deal with Turkey, and this spat could have been timed to interfere with Defense Minister Ehud Barak鈥檚 fence-mending visit to Turkey this weekend.

According to the center-left Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the hard-line Yisrael Beiteinu party, opposes the diplomatic efforts of Mr. Barak, who leads the left-leaning Labor party. The paper also reported that the treatment of Turkey's ambassador had been personally ordered by Lieberman.

鈥淲e get the sense that Lieberman wants to heat things up before Barak鈥檚 visit,鈥� a senior Foreign Ministry source told Haaretz. 鈥淎ll of the recent activities were part of Lieberman鈥檚 political agenda.鈥�

Semih Idiz, a foreign affairs columnist with Milliyet, a Turkish daily, says this latest spat calls into question just how much progress Barak could actually achieve.

鈥淓ven if Barak鈥檚 visit is successful, the question is still when the next eruption will be. I think the career diplomats on both sides are trying to control things, but there are loose cannons out there,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going towards a split of some kind, because Erdogan seems fairly intent on keeping his position and there are people in Israel (who) seem intent on picking on his words and responding in kind. This doesn鈥檛 suggest there will be a thaw in the relations any time soon.鈥�

Dr. Inbar of Bar-Ilan University insists that the problem is not with Turkey, but its leader. 鈥淲e want good relations with Turkey and want to maintain those good relations,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 against Turkey, but against Erdogan.鈥�

'Unbridled tongue-lashing'

Erdogan鈥檚 criticism of Israel has been particularly vocal since the 2009 Gaza war. In recent months, Erdogan has also started chiding other countries for worrying about Iran鈥檚 possible quest for nuclear weapons while they say nothing about Israel鈥檚 nuclear arsenal.

During a Monday press conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Erdogan again laid into Israel.

鈥淸The Israelis] have disproportionate capabilities and power and they use them. ... They do not abide by UN resolutions. ... They say they will do what they like,鈥� he said.

In a statement released soon after, Israel鈥檚 Foreign Ministry condemned Erdogan鈥檚 鈥渦nbridled tongue-lashing.鈥�

鈥淚srael has the full right to defend its citizens from terror and missile attacks from Hamas and Hezbollah,鈥� the ministry said in a statement. 鈥淚srael is sensitive to Turkey鈥檚 honor and seeks good bilateral ties, but we expect reciprocity,鈥� the statement also said.