Trump drives US into corner with Jerusalem decision
In its ending declaration, Trump's decision on Jerusalem was harshly condemned and a call was made for the U.S. to take a step back and if it didn't, it would be responsible for everything that will occur next. Another striking emphasis about the U.S. was the statements from OIC states that the U.S. should step away from its role in the peace process.
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Trump's Jerusalem move an assault on peace
Trump's Jerusalem move rekindled a century-old problem in the Middle East and created an environment that will fuel anti-Americanism in the region and Islamophobia in the U.S.
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Whatever the global strategies of great powers or personal agendas of unprincipled politicians, al-Quds represents a jewel that shall be protected dearly as the global center of tolerance, multiculturalism and mutual respect
At the end of the day, the Jerusalem conflict that started being debated after Trump's decision, is likely to damage the U.S.'s position in the region
In the midst of the Saudi-Iranian polarization, that is promoted by many to stir up new troubles in the Middle East, Turkey seeks to pursue a balancing policy
There are two countries that enjoy the deepening chaos of the Middle East. One is Russia, which has increased its influence by filling the gaps left by the U.S. after 2015. It has achieved regional power that affects the balances with a relatively limited military presence.
Is 'Moderate Islam' just another Way of saying Arab Nationalism?
In particular, the successive U.S. administrations made it clear that their quest to promote "moderate Islam" was ingenuine at four points:
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Israel's Ambitions and the Brewing Fight In the Middle East
Even if the ongoing row around Al-Aqsa Mosque ends peacefully, new tensions fueled by Israel for its interests will continue appearing
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The endemic conflict in Jerusalem indicates that the days of 'Pax-Ottomana' have passed, but the emotional attachment of Turks and Muslims to the cause of Al-Aqsa as a matter of honor is here to stay
Unfortunately, the ambitions of regional powers stop them from addressing pressing problems. The Qatar crisis is a case in point.
SETA Foreign Policy Studies Director Ufuk Ulutaş said that the recent Gulf crisis is an attempt to redesign Middle East politics and it is not about the alleged support of terrorism by Qatar, but rather a result of Qatar following its own terms in regional matters.
The current crisis is a prelude to Qatar's disciplining, the deeper polarization between Iran and the Gulf and the undermining of the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas
In order to become a key player in the Middle East again, Washington needs to repair its damaged relations with Ankara
Constitutively, the Euphrates Shield operation had two phases. The first phase aimed to liberate several villages and areas in the west and south of Jarabulus in order to be able to lay siege to the city. In the second phase, an offensive attack enabled the entrance of the aforementioned forces to the city center.
The Turkish-Israeli agreement, which is a historical step for the region that has reached a dead end, brings many vital projects to better Gazans' lives
Keeping in mind that Turkey and Israel could launch mutually beneficial joint projects, including a pipeline to export natural gas to European markets, why is Netanyahu's government reluctant to shake hands with Turkey?
Civil wars in Syria and Iraq are reshaping the Middle East, followed by issue-based alliances, thinking ahead and working on multiple scenarios.
Qatar and Turkey are mutually dependent on one other in stabilizing their domestic politics and normalizing the region.
Prof. Efraim Inbar - whose works on Turkish-Israeli relations deserve much credit - recently wrote an op-ed piece "An open letter to my Turkish friends" in The Jerusalem Post in which he paints a grotesque picture of Turkey's new foreign policy vision and domestic political developments. It misleadingly confines the multi-dimensional Turkish foreign policy vision to politics of ideology that is reminiscent of the Cold War years.
During a visit to the United States that preceded President Barack Obama's visit to Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu, chief advisor to Turkey's prime minister, stated that "Our approach and principles are almost the same, very similar to the US on issues such as the Middle East, Caucasus, Balkans and energy security.
After back-to-back visits to Turkey by US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Ahmet Davutoglu, a top adviser to Turkey's prime minister, predicted that Turkish-American relations were about to enter a golden era
