Türkiye-US rift over Israel-Hamas escalates

A few hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Hamas is “defending Anatolia’s frontline” in Gaza in Turkish parliament on May 15, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan appeared on a live NTV broadcast.

Erdoğan grounded his assertion of “frontline defense” on the assumption that the radical government in power in Israil would eventually cast its gaze on Anatolian lands within the framework of the “promised land.”

Meanwhile, Fidan had met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, marking the first explicit acknowledgment that Türkiye had reached a point of divergence with the US on Israel.

When asked where the two NATO allies agree and where they diverge on Israel and Palestine, he responded:

‘They unconditionally support Israel. We support Palestine. This is a point of divergence. (…) In the Gaza issue, it is not possible for Israel to audaciously commit genocide without the military support of the United States.

“Where do we agree? At this point, we have reached an agreement on a ceasefire. I discussed this issue with my US counterpart today. We concur that without a two-state solution, this problem is a recurring pathology.”

The rift actually lies over Palestine

As long as Israel is governed by a radical coalition rooted in Jewish Sharia, akin to the one under Binyamin Netanyahu’s premiership, or similar iterations, it seems their intent is to annex all of Palestine. The fact that the US, on one hand, advises against attacking Rafah, and the European Union, on the other hand, calls for a halt to all military operations while continuing to supply arms and bombs to Israel, transcends the scope of merely combating Hamas.

When Greek Prime Minister Kiryakos Mitsotakis visited Ankara on May 13, no questions were taken at his press conference. According to Turkish sources, it was at the behest of the Greek side. Mitsotakis’ reluctance wasn’t limited to avoiding questions on Kariye. It especially pertained to dodging questions on Gaza and Israel. However, when he labeled Hamas as a terrorist organization, Erdoğan reacted, ‘They were defending their homeland.”

In Western capitals, streets and universities are pressuring their governments against the extermination and subjugation of Palestinians. In reality, this divide is deepening between Western governments and their populace.

“Many countries hesitate to take steps on Israel,” Fidan notes, “due to the perception shaped by the US and the West, as well as the self-imposed constraints. Leadership is needed somewhere. We strive to undertake this with great sensitivity.”

Iran or Türkiye-Qatar?

Here, we leap into another dimension.

Until recently, the prevailing international perception was that Iran served as Hamas’ patron. Iran still remains Hamas’ primary source of weapons and finances. However, Fidan’s assertion that ‘We need to take the lead’ can also be construed as Türkiye’s intent to assume Hamas’ patronage from Iran, alongside Qatar. Türkiye’s complete cessation of trade with Israel, risking a $9.5 billion loss in trade, can be regarded as exemplary leadership in this regard. Iran’s prominence diminishes further after an airstrike, appearing as a “staged fight” with Israel.

The escalating rift with the US over Hamas, but fundamentally over Israel-Palestine, is effectively laying the groundwork for a bridge with the West regarding Hamas’ patronage. It’s crucial to bear in mind that the largest US military base in the Middle East is situated in Qatar, and Hamas’ top brass, including Ismail Haniyeh, still resides in Qatar.

Beyond Hamas, the issue truly extends beyond Hamas and towards the obliteration of Palestine. Türkiye cannot afford to stand idly by in this scenario; separation is inevitable. What’s crucial is not to view the issue through the lens of Hamas’ fervor or the “we have clashed with the West” sentiment, but to act with composure.