A Prime Minister With Senses…

(*: One of my articles, written for my academic studies in Panteion University of Athens on 20th January 2009, published here with a delay)

A Prime Minister With Senses…

Bora Yoldas

Everything started in the Middle – East again and again, a few nights before the new year’s eve. On December 27th, the Israeli troops created maybe one of the worst nightmare in the problematic region. The first news were gliding such a mess, “hundreds of people were badly wounded”. And up to today, the tragedy stil goes on in Gaza.

Although the ceasefire ,declared 3 days ago by Israeli part, both parts showed that they’d rather keep their faith in struggle at least. And now, we are all living the pain of getting used to one sorrow more. A sorrow broadcasted in a daily basis and updated on news sites day by day.

No doubt, it wasn’t also so easy for Turkey, a country based on one of the most strategical locations for the world politics. Accepted pairing when its religious roots are taken into account, it makes the issue for Turkey more and more “sensitive despite everything”.

Tayyip Erdogan, the prime minister of Turkey with Islamic roots, was also one of the people who was feeling sorry not only as a politician, but firstly as a human-being. Like most of the world leaders, without the US policy and its representers of course, he was not late at all to lash this massacre.

The naked truth, the moderate Islamist government’s leader was completely ready to protest something. While the civilized world’s global representer United Nations was trying to find a solution with great efforts, Erdogan was just on time. No matter though being dubbed “Neo-Ottomanist”, maybe even more proudly, there was even no need to think twice to hesitate for bowling out the allied force.

As a well known reality, Turk-Israeli friendship’s roots go through the past points of the history. Since the mass deportation held by the 15th century Spanish authority, from Sephardim* to the genocide held by Nazis; the efforts of Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkish Republic during the bloodstained terms… Jewish people will never slip those "gift"s. However, he shown no tolerance. Even as the head of a country, helping managing the regional problems to both US and Israel as a close partner.

Surely it was a nice gesture, a sensitive and humanist prime minister giving speech to media almost everyday regarding this issue. He was such audacious, maybe as the most sensitive leader of Middle East and even more of all the Arabic states!

Such a sensitive and humanist politician, who even doesn’t hesitate to forget all the social, political and economical problems of his own country for which is the first responsible . He directly choses to give his message, by even mentioning that “Allah (God) will punish Israel”. Efforts for democracy waiting to be spent for especially the EU membership process, Kurdish issue, foreign affair problems, even the scandals his colleagues’ names are spelled out . No to all, now it was the time for abdicating everything, although even while an Arabic country, Egypt wasn’t so sure to open the border of Rafah for the Palestinian refugees. However, some societies somehow refused to understand his humanism. Just like New York Times, commenting Erdogan’s declarations as a bit strange when it comes to a cold-blooded attitude which a leader is supposed to have. (Turk Raises Eyebrows in Criticism of Israel, 10th January 2009, by Sabrina Tavernise) And the last critique from Financial Times: “But Mr Erdogan's emotive response has damaged Turkey's position as a non-partisan interlocutor in the region, attracting comment in the Israeli press, remonstrations with the Turkish ambassador in Tel Aviv and anger among Jewish lobby groups in the US.” (Delphine Strauss, 21st January 2009)

Maybe it may increase Erdogan’s vote potential in Turkey more and more contexting the conservative turkish population. Yes, a really leonine sortie - moreover, including a kind of sacrifice about even the benefits of his own country!

Turkish government did the necessary thing during a period tried to be created for any possible negotiation between Arabic – Jewish parts, however wasn’t it a bit unnecessarily abrubt and passionate? Probably Mr. Erdogan wanted to draw attention on his foremanship in diplomacy, which all the global leaders have forgotten to show. And now, Turkey is the hero of the middle-east.

Although it’s almost impossible to pledge Erdogan’s reaction was effective enough to stop the operation, it doesn’t mean that it won’t effect the Turkish – Israeli relationships in a negative, or positive way. Especially during a critical period Turkey had been experiencing about a possible recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the influence of Obama and his senators, and Cyprus question as another model, these perfect quotes may show their affects on Turkey. Therefore, it’s a big hope that AKP (led by Erdogan) won’t deny the efforts of the Jewish lobby and Israeli government especially to avoid the recognition of Armenian Genocide via such a fait accompli without any “detailed historical archive research” as demanded by the current Turkish Government.

However, although everything, when it’s taken into consideration that Jewish friends are the one of the best supporters of this critically positioned country, the hopes in Turkey is in the direction of no change with Israel. Beyond doubt, both those two countries need each other. Although Turkey is the one who needs them more nowadays.

*: Sephardim: (plural of Sephardi) The Jews who came from the Iberian peninsula.