This is Called 'Saving from the State's Reputation'!..

Two months ago, at his party's parliamentary group meeting, Erdoğan explained that it was impossible to separate the coups in Turkey from the Palestinian cause, stating, "Let no one think that the issue is only Palestine or Gaza. Zionism is trying to stir up every country in the region through its collaborators and leashed pawns inside. We said 'stop' to this."

Since they date the history of coups back to 1960, it means they have known what kind of thing Zionism is since that date. But we have seen that throughout their time in power, they have been eager to establish close relations with Israel, even if they have had their ups and downs.

If it weren't for Hamas's October 7 attack, they were on the verge of hosting Netanyahu, whom they now declare a "murderer and genocidal," in Ankara.

On Ankara's agenda is the fact that Netanyahu was applauded 79 times, with 58 of them standing, in the US Congress. There was no word left unsaid in reaction to both the US and Netanyahu.

Didn't they know that all US administrations act on the principle that "Our reason for existence is the security of Israel," so why were they so angry?!

That Congress also applauded Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis, who spoke against Turkey two years ago, 37 times, after which Erdoğan announced that there was no longer anyone named Mitsotakis for him. The result; just like in the case of PKK sponsorship, no harm came to relations with the US, and Mitsotakis became "Dear Kyriakos"!..

THE FIRST MUSLIM COUNTRY PARLIAMENT WHERE A BABY KILLER SPOKE

Let's continue with AKP-Israel relations, starting from the applause for Netanyahu.

In 2007, then-Israeli President Shimon Peres, who had committed many massacres before, but whom Erdoğan would call a "baby killer" 3 years later, addressed the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) together with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The importance of this address by Peres was that he was the "first Israeli President to speak in a Muslim country's parliament."

This is exactly what Saadet Party Kütahya MP Ali Fazıl Kasap reminded everyone of the other day with the words, "Is Shimon Peres a murderer? Yes. Is he a Zionist? Yes. In whose time did he speak, who applauded him? Tayyip Erdoğan applauded, you applauded. You are the ones who applauded Shimon Peres; what kind of hypocrisy is this!"

WHAT IS MAHMOUD ABBAS TO US?

Our subject is not Israel, but Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. While the government does not hide that it feels a closer affinity to Hamas, it continues its contacts with Abbas due to his position.

Let's make a few reminders about Mahmoud Abbas, who cried at the funeral of the "baby killer" Shimon Peres and whom an AKP writer called a "collaborator administration."

After Palestine was granted "non-member observer state" status at the UN General Assembly in 2013, Abbas made his first foreign trip to Turkey and addressed the deputies at the TBMM General Assembly, saying that "it was not strange that he made his first official visit to brotherly Turkey."

How are we "brothers"; let's convey that from the mouth of MHP Leader Devlet Bahçeli, the partner of the People's Alliance.

When Abbas visited the People's Republic of China last year and described the Uyghur issue as "China's fight against terrorism, extremism, and separatism," Bahçeli practically opened this "black-bound" file:

"Calling Uyghur Turks terrorists is an injustice, a slander, a sin, a crime, a disgrace, a wickedness, and an incurable disrespect to the Turkish nation. Even if not as much as we support the Palestinian cause, at least half as much, you have never even mentioned, could not mention, and never wanted to pronounce the historical rights of Turkey and the Turkish nation, their fight against terrorism, and the situation of captive Turks spread across vast geographies. You were never ashamed of protecting terrorists who were trained in Palestinian camps in the past and infiltrated or were infiltrated into our country. Did the Palestinian President ever raise his voice, show a reaction, or share a message of solidarity with our country regarding the PKK or FETÖ, even as a token gesture? He did none of these, could not do them, and did not even think of doing them. Because the subject was Turkey and the Turkish nation."

WAS THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ASLEEP?

Let's also note that "brotherly" Palestine recognizes the Greek Cypriot side, not the TRNC, and get to the point.

Three days ago, perhaps in response to Netanyahu being allowed to speak in the US Congress; TBMM Justice Committee Chairman and AKP Istanbul MP Cüneyt Yüksel announced that TBMM Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş had written a letter to Mahmoud Abbas, inviting him to speak at the TBMM to powerfully announce the Palestinian people's struggle for rights and justice to the whole world. Yüksel also stated that the letter was sent on July 12 and that Abbas's speech date was being followed up by the TBMM Speaker's Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Whether it was a coincidence, an attempt to steal the spotlight, or because he heard what was going on behind the scenes – it is unknown; that same evening, Future Party Chairman Ahmet Davutoğlu suggested that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh be invited to Parliament to defy Netanyahu. While Haniyeh thanked Davutoğlu over the phone for this call, he said he would be greatly honored to address the world at the TBMM General Assembly.

It was after this development that a major diplomatic scandal emerged - and from Erdoğan's own mouth.

In his hometown of Rize, at a meeting with non-governmental organizations and sector representatives, Erdoğan, after mentioning that some political parties were saying, "The government should invite the Palestinian President to Turkey right now and have him speak in Parliament," explained the following:

"Who says we didn't invite him. Mr. Abbas, who did not come even though we invited him, should excuse himself and apologize to us separately first. We invited him but he didn't come. We are waiting, let's see if he can come? He may or may not come, but we are already expressing what needs to be said on behalf of the Palestinian people and our Palestinian brothers everywhere, at every meeting."

We gave up on "brotherhood"; what kind of diplomacy is this that such a letter is written to TBMM Speaker Kurtulmuş without making certain contacts and reaching a preliminary agreement, and then being left out in the cold like this?

Moreover; those who call even what we see with our own eyes "lies" or "black propaganda," why would they announce such a scandal to the whole world, and through Erdoğan's own mouth?

What is happening here is, in the truest sense, saving from the state's reputation... Oh, my state, oh!..

Müyesser YILDIZ

July 29, 2024