Ahmet Davutoglu. Photo: Wiki Commons

Burson-Marsteller, a major international PR firm, has been retained by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu “to improve his overseas image” following the recent Turkish elections.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have been on a downward spiral since Davutoglu’s AKP Party has been in power. Furthermore, Davutoglu’s foreign policy has been described as “Muslim Brotherhood-inspired transnationalism.”

This ideology, then, is consistent with the PR firm he chose — because Burson-Marsteller refused to work with Israel as a client, yet represented the Muslim Brotherhood of Tunisia. 

Davutoglu has a history of animosity towards Israel. He wrote a book, Strategic Depth, which declared that a Jewish state is unsuitable for the Middle East, and has called Israel “a geopolitical tumor.” He has also claimed that “Jerusalem belongs to us and not to the Jews,” and has openly embraced Hamas and its leaders.

Even Hillary Clinton wrote in her memoirs that Davutoglu threatened to declare war on Israel.

Yet Burson-Marsteller has no qualms about representing him.

Clearly, last year’s controversy that erupted when Burson-Marsteller refused to work with Israel did not cause the company to shy away from representing an anti-Israel entity.

Ronn Torossian is an author and public relations executive.