Imperialism Orientalism and Zionism: The shaping forces of US Middle East policy
U.S. foreign policy has been consistently Anti-Middle Eastern for decades and seemingly nothing will change with the Trump administration
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Trumpworld and MAGA 2.0
The Trump era hinges on both U.S. and global actions, demanding a more cooperative foreign policy
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U.S. policy in the region remains rigidly isolationist and self-serving, and under Trump, nothing will change
Trump's sweeping re-election victory exposes the Democrats' missteps on foreign policy, immigration and voter engagement
Arab states, disillusioned by U.S. policies and support for Israel, are shifting alliances and diversifying relations
Amid intense political discourse and debates on terrorism, it’s essential to reevaluate Türkiye’s approach to its fight against terrorism and terrorist threats. Such a review could help refine the current vision, address any gaps, and correct missteps to improve both efficiency and effectiveness. Recognizing that combating terrorism is a dynamic process, regular updates to vision and strategy are natural. However, updating should never imply compromising on resilience.
Geopolitical tensions: Middle East in global rivalry
With the full and unconditional support of the United States and Western European countries, the Israeli government has been attacking Middle Eastern countries and committing genocide against Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. The first step of Israel’s expansionist policies in the Middle East has been the increased occupation of Palestinian lands.
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Türkiye's political shift amidst terror attack on TUSAŞ
In the last week, a series of events has unfolded in Türkiye. First, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) chairman Devlet Bahçeli, one of the key partners of the People’s Alliance, made a surprise statement in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, demanding that PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned in a high-security prison since 1999, call on the PKK to “lay down arms and end terrorism.” More interestingly, Bahçeli suggested that Öcalan should come to parliament and make this call from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) party’s platform. This development has led to interpretations that a new process may have begun.
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Tensions between Iran and Israel escalate, raising fears of full-scale war amid ongoing regional conflicts
Erdoğan’s remarks frame Israel as a looming national security threat to Türkiye, intensifying concerns over its moves in Gaza and the broader Middle East
The Ambassador of Palestine to Ankara, Faed Mustafa, stated, "While the whole world is talking about a two-state solution, Israel alone is trying to destroy, kill, and eliminate this solution."
A full year ago this week, I was in Ankara for a meeting. When Hamas launched its attacks on October 7, the Palestinian issue quickly became the main agenda. It became evident that Israel was facing significant security vulnerabilities, and there was much discussion about the timing of Hamas's actions. There was a consensus that Israel would respond disproportionately. It was clear that the conflict between Israel and Hamas was entering a new phase, and discussions were underway about the steps needed for a political resolution after the conflict. Looking back a year later, it’s hard to believe that no one expected Israel to shift into a "perpetual war" mode by rendering Gaza unlivable and extending the conflict to other countries.
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.
Israel's cyber-attacks spark a regional war, threatening stability and drawing in global powers
Following the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Meeting between Türkiye and Egypt in Ankara on Sept. 4, 16 agreements were signed, and a 36-point joint declaration was issued. Ankara and Cairo had been at odds for nearly a decade following the bloody military coup led by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in 2013 that removed Mohammed Morsi, Egypt’s only democratic ruler, from power.
Southern Türkiye was jolted by twin earthquakes on February 6 that caused unprecedented devastation across an extremely vast area, impacting 11 provinces. Almost on par with the scale of the devastation, Türkiye has also received a huge amount of humanitarian aid from many countries with which Türkiye both has cordial and strained relations. In light of the considerable level of solidarity showcased by many countries, it is still unclear whether this atmosphere of solidarity and amicability will translate into tangible outcomes in the respective bilateral relations between Türkiye and these nations. Likewise, it is also unclear whether the solidarity displayed by countries with which Türkiye had tense relations until the earthquakes will cause a thaw in bilateral ties and lead to a new chapter in relations. We asked foreign policy experts to weigh in on these questions.
