Türkiye's emerging naval diplomacy
The concept of naval diplomacy, while historically recognized, is still debated. At its core, it refers to the use of naval force for non-violent or political means.
More
A year of flames in Gaza
In the wake of the Al-Aqsa Flood, the Hamas attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel initiated a large-scale military operation against the Gaza Strip. The asymmetric and intense military attacks ended up with genocide. So far, Israel has killed more than 42.000 Palestinians, most of which are innocent children and women, wounded more than 90,000 and displaced more than 2 million people. Israeli security forces hit civilian residential areas, including schools, hospitals, ambulances, mosques, churches, tents, refugee camps and the U.N. centers. Eventually, Israeli forces destroyed almost all of the Gaza Strip. With the unconditional support of Western countries such as the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom, Israel violated all principles of international humanitarian law in front of the world.
More
Türkiye aims high, as the country strives for the global high-income club. To that end, of course, a balanced and sustainable growth trend, as well as efficiency-based investments, employment, production and a revived export process through structural reforms, is needed.
The latest agreement between Türkiye and Somalia reflects the upgrade of already strategic bilateral relations while demonstrating increasingly robust Turkish naval capabilities and expanding naval activism. The "Defense and Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement" signed between Türkiye and Somalia on Feb. 8, 2024, was approved shortly after by the Somali Parliament and subsequently by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM). In March 2024, the “Agreement Between the Government of the Republic of Türkiye and the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia in the Field of Oil and Natural Gas” and the “Memorandum of Understanding Between the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Türkiye and the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of the Federal Republic of Somalia on Onshore and Offshore Blocks in Somalia” were signed. The Oruç Reis seismic research vessel, which embarked on its first intercontinental mission, set sail on Oct. 5 as part of the oil and gas exploration agreement signed between Türkiye and Somalia in March.
With new actors joining the fray and Israel's aggressiveness intensifying, the Middle East braces for a broader regional war
President Erdoğan dedicating a significant portion of his UN speech to Gaza highlighted not only the importance of the Palestinian issue for Türkiye but also its central role in regional peace and global governance. The moral clarity and call to action on this matter, which has been a recurring theme in Erdoğan’s past speeches, carried considerable weight. The UN, established to ensure international peace and security, has been paralyzed in addressing the Palestinian issue due to its structural problems and inability to move beyond great power rivalries, illustrating the crisis of the international order. Türkiye’s insistence on keeping the Palestinian issue on the global agenda is crucial for its national interests, regional balance, and the future of the international system.
Nasrallah's death rewrites rules for Hezbollah, beyond
Israel, which has paralyzed the Hezbollah organization, took a further decisive step by killing Hassan Nasrallah, the longtime leader of Hezbollah, on Sept. 27. All observers agree that the killing of Nasrallah will dramatically influence the future of not only Hezbollah and Lebanon but also the Middle East. In this article, I will underline some of the implications of this killing.
More
Crumbling, dying United Nations: Who will resurrect it?
While United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was calling for the restructuring of all institutions of international governance, including the U.N., in his opening speech at the 79th General Assembly, Israel was conducting its 800th air sortie against Lebanon and dropping its 2,000th bomb over Lebanon. In the aftermath of Israel’s ongoing attacks, reports state that more than 500 people, including 100 children, were killed in Lebanon.
More
President Biden’s final UN speech of his political career coincides with perhaps the least effective period in American diplomacy. Since October 7, the Biden administration has stood by as Israel’s actions have severely damaged American diplomatic credibility in the eyes of the “international community.”
Israel's cyber-attacks spark a regional war, threatening stability and drawing in global powers
The war in Ukraine will determine the future trajectory of Europe, yet the continent's actions will be equally influential
Israel's latest covert operations, indiscriminately targeting both soldiers and civilians, have now been directed at Hezbollah. In a coordinated attack, Israel detonated devices placed in the pagers and radios of thousands of Hezbollah members, a move that could be studied in intelligence courses for its precision. Previously, Israel’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran had exposed a major security flaw in Iran. This new operation, injuring thousands of Hezbollah members, now reveals significant security vulnerabilities within Hezbollah itself. If Hezbollah responds to this provocation, which marks Israel’s latest attempt to escalate tensions in the region, war seems inevitable. However, should the U.S. intervene behind the scenes to prevent Hezbollah from engaging Israel, it would signal that Iran is prioritizing a potential post-election deal with the U.S. over immediate conflict.
