Turkish public reacts to Israeli policies, seizure of Palestinian land

Ahmet Faruk Ünsal, head of the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER), said Israel's behavior, which runs contrary to international law, is also putting the United States on the spot. During US Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel, the Jewish state announced its plans to build 1,600 more homes for Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

Israel is now facing a diplomatic storm in Washington, whose minor success in nudging the Palestinians toward indirect peace talks may have gone up in smoke.

The US, which has been working hard for more than a year to get both sides negotiating again, strongly criticized the latest Israeli plan and berated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on various occasions. US envoy George Mitchell, who had hoped to wrap up preparations to re-launch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, called off a visit to the region on Tuesday amid the diplomatic tension.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas recently indicated that there would be no “proximity talks” unless Israel freezes all settlement building.

Netanyahu voiced regret over what US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called “insulting” behavior, but did not scrap the plan. Instead, he rejected any curbs on Israeli settlements in and around Jerusalem in a defiant speech he delivered in the Knesset on Monday.

Ünsal said problems in the area are nothing new. “Israel divided the Palestinian land with a wall. And that wall includes East Jerusalem. By building the wall, Israel made East Jerusalem a land within its own possession. Even though The Hague tribunal has declared the construction of the wall against international law, Israel did not take it seriously. So today’s problems are not new as they stem from troubles of the past,” he said.

Ünsal also said that US envoy Mitchell’s cancellation of his trip would not change the Israeli government’s mind and blamed the United States for allowing Israel to carry on with its “careless policies.”

He said the United States should take an initiative to protect world peace. “The United States should give up its policy of protecting Israel no matter what. It should not back Israel at the United Nations. Since the United States vetoes all decisions against Israel at the UN, the international community cannot do much,” he said. “It is not possible to understand why the United States is angry at Israel now.”

Ünsal claimed that the American politicians have become toys at the hands of pro-Israeli groups living in the United States. He was also critical of the recent visit of Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi to Turkey.

Palestinian demonstrators hurl stones at Israeli troops in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. Protestors also set tires ablaze across the Holy City’s volatile eastern sector.

“He is somebody who undermined international law, used illegal weapons, destroyed civilian centers and killed 1,400 people, mostly women and children. He was accused of having carried out genocide. If Turkey had a firm stance, he would not be able to come to Turkey comfortably. Turkey should be more sincere in its reactions,” he said.

According to former Ambassador Ercan Özer, international organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League should play a role if decisions against Israel are binding.

“Turkey’s attitude is right regarding the status of the holy places. Rules regarding these places were also defined by international law and UNESCO. Israel’s policy of declaring the holy places their own does not serve peace,” he said.

Yasin Aktay, head of the Institute of Strategic Thinking, said the Turkish public has been following the Palestinian issue for a long time. He said Israel will not be able to build new settlements because it is about to lose its most important ally, the United States.

“The United States sees the limits of its unconditional support for Israel,” he said. “The Turkish public’s disapproval of Israel is getting even stronger. Israel will lose in the long term if it continues to pursue its current policies.”