The conflict between Israel and Palestine, ongoing since 1947, is not only a regional issue, but also a global concern. In 1947, the United Nations voted to divide Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab, and to make Jerusalem a separate city with special status under U.N. supervision. The fact that this issue has persisted for so long and remains unresolved or neglected is a major cause of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The majority of casualties in Gaza, where Israel bombed for days, are civilians. The Israeli attacks question the moral dimensions of the existing process in the context of the law of war; the attacks are disproportionate in nature, targeting hospitals, schools or ambulances transporting the injured. The problem here is that civilians are targeted, and thousands of people, including women and children, have lost their lives. Unfortunately, several international organizations, including the U.N., have failed to take decisive steps to achieve a cease-fire.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council could not make a final decision in six meetings held in Russia, the People's Republic of China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. The U.N. continues to exist today as a mechanism that, unfortunately, needs to be reformed in the international arena. As a result, the current situation persists with rising civilian casualties, particularly among women and children.
In addition to all this, since Oct. 7, the suffering of Palestinian people, which has a humanitarian aspect and is people-centric, has been protested in many parts of the world. The recent protests have brought to the forefront an essential shift in the level of support that Western countries extend to Israel, as well as a growing demand for a cease-fire. Indeed, these developments have significant implications for the current geopolitical landscape and warrant careful consideration. As public opinion can be seen as the most significant force that will affect the conscientious process, in this context, the "One Heart for Palestine" summit held in Istanbul on Nov. 15 was essential. I was hosted by first lady Emine Erdoğan with the participation of her counterparts.
The fact that those who suffer the most in the existing patriarchal structure are civilians, children and women (vulnerable groups) increases the importance of this summit. It is vital that the call for a cease-fire, which values women's approaches in the international arena, is focused on women, mothers and human values. The process here should be read as far from ideological or specific politics. The values and approaches that come with being human and align with women's stances that call against problems in the existing system are essential.
The participation of first ladies in the summit reflects the necessity to interpret current global politics through women's perspectives. Summit participants should not be considered as only from a specific geography or region. The summit had global participation, with face-to-face and online attendees from Malaysia to Turkmenistan and from Brazil to Qatar. A constructive future goal was also set. The summit may not result in the imposition of any sanctions or overt means of deterrence in international affairs. Nevertheless, the main result of the summit is the conscientious aspect of sanctions. There is a sanction based on conscience and people. The messages given at this summit, which reflect the humanitarian calls that Türkiye has made since the beginning of the conflict, are "human equality and the value of human life."
No legal basis can change this. In this respect, the summit hosted by Emine Erdoğan, with the participation of first ladies and special representatives from many countries, is an example in the international arena. It should be interpreted as human-oriented, not in an ideological or political context. In this conflict where women and children lose their lives, women must criticize the existing violent structure of the international system.
As the Turkish first lady stressed, "Mothers should kiss their children to sleep, not to their graves." We hope this summit will be a step for specific humanitarian progress and for international public opinion and conscience to impose sanctions.
One of the most significant aspects is that the international system must have a conscience independent of ideology and politics. First ladies are a critical force against the violence-oriented approach in the international arena. They highlight the impossibility of imagining an international system that is not inclusive of women. The summit lays the cornerstone of future cooperation between first ladies of the world, who own the potential to impact the course of international politics, albeit indirectly.
*Associate professor and the vice chair of the IR Department at Kırıkkale University
