The end of an era
by
Gökhan Bacık*

The first point that deserves attention in this matter is that Israel targeted Turkey’s rising international position. Turkey has taken over a “legitimizing” role in the international system. Turkey has managed to produce results by interceding in processes regarding matters such as Syria and Iran. There have been some developments taking place in the Middle East that are contrary to Israel’s wishes. By clashing with Turkey directly, Israel targeted Turkey’s neutral and legitimate international position. The purpose is to turn Turkey into a country that is in direct conflict with Israel and, therefore, no longer a neutral country. This in return is expected to facilitate future opposition to Turkish-based initiatives by making criticisms that Turkey is “not a neutral country.” Israel has probably been concerned about Turkey’s rising influence and the roles it is likely to assume and wanted to take an immediate measure. By giving the impression that Turkey is a country that clashes with Israel and adopts a particular view, Turkey’s potential role is expected to be impaired. In a sense this picture also shows that Israel has no hope left in Turkey.

The Israeli military killed Turkish citizens on Monday morning. Surely there can be various debates and criticisms and even attacks in different fields of politics, such as in diplomacy. In each case, the government is the source that is addressed. However the planned killing of Turkish citizens by the military of a foreign country immediately makes the Turkish military a part of the situation as well. The Turkish military has a constitutional responsibility to protect fellow citizens against the armies of hostile countries. The Israeli military’s killing of Turkish citizens is more unacceptable than the killings of citizens by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). The military may decide not to adopt a direct attitude against the PKK on the grounds that it is a “domestic problem and should be dealt with by internal security.” However, the killing of Turkish citizens by another military should push the Turkish military to take a side regarding Israel. The Turkish military should definitely protest this incident independently from the government. It’s unacceptable for the Turkish military to remain completely silent when its citizens have been killed by another military. Silence would yield very regrettable symbolic results. A military that constantly issues statements on matters pertaining to domestic policy such as secularism but does not speak out against the Israeli military, which killed Turkish citizens, is in major contradiction with itself. It’s unacceptable for an army that sent tanks to a protest against Israel in Ankara’s Sincan district in 1998 to refrain from showing a reaction, albeit a symbolic one, to the Israeli army which killed nine Turks.

Israel’s attack has completely impaired all moral and sociological opportunities in Turkey for politics involving Israel. No right, left, nationalist or Kemalist political movement can defend having close relations with Israel from now on. Likewise, military cooperation has also become impossible. As a result, the Israeli channel that began in 1945 and was formalized in the traditional foreign policy of Turkey has broken down. On the other hand, as a country that has lost “victims” in the Palestinian issue Turkey has inevitably become a spokesperson in the Arab public. In a sense, Israel and Turkey were already heading down different paths; however, the two countries had not officially confronted this matter. The process that began with the killing of Turkish citizens by the Israeli military can be seen as a kind of “confrontation.”

Like every confrontation, a confrontation between Israel and Turkey on a political level is a good thing. The two sides have finally openly declared that they see the world and the Middle East differently and that they stand in different places. In the final analysis it is beneficial for international relations to take shape according to the real situation. Turkey’s stance on Israel since 1945 was an elitist preference that did not reflect the sentiment inside. In a sense, for more than half a century Turkey tried to present itself differently to Israel. This was an artificial structure that had no parallel in domestic policy. Turkey and Israel have probably explained to each other that they have different perspectives and different visions for the region. Facing the facts at this level will foster the emergence of positive processes in the Middle East in the medium and long term. If Turkey and Israel confront each other, it will create a more comfortable atmosphere in bilateral relations with the US and many other countries (especially with countries in the Middle East).

Lastly, it’s important to understand that those who are governing Israel today are extremely narrow-minded and inept political elites. Clearly these elites think they will be able to save Israel by constantly enhancing security measures. It is actually very odd that Israeli politics has fallen into the hands of a few narrow-minded inept fanatics. However, while formalizing the reactions against Israel, we need to be aware of the fanaticism of the political elites governing this country as well. Turkey also needs to take into consideration rapprochement with Israel again when making its plans in the event that more acceptable political groups set up a government.