Since Oct. 7, 2023, most Arab states remain indifferent to the severe humanitarian crisis in Palestine and the Gaza genocide. On the other hand, non-regional Muslim states play a relatively low profile in the Palestinian issue. Among the few states that are concerned about the future of Palestine, Türkiye and its leader, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, are the leading country and leader that is genuinely trying to contribute to alleviating the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
Türkiye and President Erdoğan have been playing an effective role in Palestine and in reaching an agreement on the first phase of a cease-fire deal, originally proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Subsequently, Erdoğan co-chaired the Gaza Summit and was one of the four signatories of the cease-fire agreement.
Below, I will examine some key developments that demonstrate Türkiye’s recent active stance on the Palestinian issue. Erdoğan has been one of the most vocal leaders bringing the Gaza genocide to the international fora and on the agenda of all bilateral meetings for the last two years.
During his latest speech at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), he clearly stated that he represented not only Türkiye but also the Palestinian people. He called some international organizations, such as the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to hold their summit meetings focusing on the Gaza genocide. Together with Trump, Erdoğan co-chaired the Gaza Summit held in New York on the margins of the UNGA. With some leaders from Muslim countries, Erdoğan discussed the conditions and realities on the ground with Trump and showed him the other side of the medallion.
Türkiye has been the only country that initiated processes and proposed concrete proposals for a just resolution of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Turkish Foreign Affairs Minister Hakan Fidan invited related countries to establish a guarantorship model in Palestine to end the genocide in Gaza. Last week, Fidan pointed out that “should a two-state solution be realized, Türkiye is prepared to take on the responsibility of a de facto guarantor” for the protection of the Palestinians and regional stability.
Through his active mediation efforts, Erdoğan has been trying to change the conditions on the ground. On the one hand, he has been trying to influence the U.S. leadership about the Gaza crisis. On the other, he has been trying to encourage leaders of Arab and Muslim countries to take a firm stance against Israel.
When Trump, who organized a large-scale summit attended by 30 leaders from various regions, tried to bring Benjamin Netanyahu to the Sharm el-Sheikh summit, Erdoğan opposed this, eventually preventing the Israeli prime minister's attendance. Thus, Erdoğan has shown the international community that Türkiye is the most effective country trying to deter Israel. In other words, Trump and other actors acknowledged that reaching an effective agreement would be impossible without Türkiye’s constructive contribution.
Lastly, after reaching the last cease-fire, Ankara has intensified its efforts to ensure effective delivery and coordination of humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip. For this purpose, Erdoğan has appointed Ambassador Mehmet Güllüoğlu as the humanitarian aid coordinator for Palestine to oversee Gaza relief efforts. Ankara has already started to lead the efforts for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and to provide humanitarian assistance to the Gazans.
Ankara may play a pioneering role in the establishment of a regional security architecture. Especially after great improvements in its defense industry, Türkiye can now contribute to the national security of friendly regional countries. It has already contributed to the stabilization efforts in Azerbaijan, Qatar, Iraq, Syria and Libya and proved its reliability. Thus, the Israeli aggression and its regional expansionism can only be prevented by establishing a regional military alliance and security system among regional states. This is the only chance for the targeted regional states to influence the global Western powers and to deter Israel.
