Ahead of the meeting, the organization issued a statement to underscore that the event was held in response to the “dangerous developments” regarding the Palestinian question and the city of Jerusalem. In other words, that statement mentioned the protection of Jerusalem, the OIC’s original objective and the prevention of the massacre in Gaza simultaneously.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan, for the 16th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Summit. Besides attending ECO’s General Assembly meeting, he held meetings with the host, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as well as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and President Ersin Tatar of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

Navigating a tumultuous week in the U.S. presidential race, it's evident that leadership crises persist in both parties. Tuesday's elections in Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky revealed that despite Biden's waning popularity, Republicans face an uphill battle. The ongoing potency of the abortion issue for Democrats and the sustained resistance against Trumpian candidates were evident. Surveys highlighting Biden's perceived disadvantage in age and the challenge of presenting a vibrant alternative to Trump contribute to the complexity.

Amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a tragic situation unfolds daily, with thousands of civilians losing their lives. This includes the merciless killing of babies and children, the murder of pregnant women and their unborn children, and the targeting of ambulances carrying wounded individuals. Hospitals, schools, and refugee camps have become the target of bombings, while essential services like water, fuel, electricity, and internet access are cut off.

Burden of Holocaust past, Israeli lobby in country, influence of US, line of current coalition government might be 4 reasons

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Kazakhstan earlier this week to attend the 10th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). In addition to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarov, Erdoğan met his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev and attended the meeting of the OTS heads of states. The Turkish leader returned to Türkiye following his meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Friday.

The operation launched by Hamas against Israel on Oct. 7 continues, accompanied by Israel’s extensive air and ground operations. Israel’s military attacks carried out to overcome the shock experienced within the country, reestablish military deterrence and eliminate Hamas through the collective punishment method have now completed their 24th day.

The Biden administration hasn't fundamentally altered its unwavering support for Israel since the beginning of the crisis. However, in the face of heavy criticism from the international community, regional countries, and even its own party and American public, especially in the past two weeks, it has started emphasizing the humanitarian crisis more. As Washington increasingly finds itself isolated on the international stage, it has begun to add qualifiers, such as the need to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian aid access, while reiterating its full support for Israel. Reports have also suggested that Israel is preparing for a large-scale invasion of Gaza, but Washington is recommending a narrower operation that takes into account the safety of hostages and civilians. The change in rhetoric seems to reflect the administration's growing awareness of the need to alleviate public pressure.

While the Israeli army continues its occupation of Gaza step by step, that country’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attempts to justify the killing of Palestinians with reference to the Torah. In the immediate aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Netanyahu embraced Jewish theology by bringing up the Prophecy of Isaiah regarding the “promised land.”

The stakes in the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinians are quite high for Western countries, the United States in particular. Due to their unconditional support for the Israeli war crimes in Palestine, the U.S. and European partners cannot get support for their position in other international crises such as the Ukrainian-Russian War. It means that the Israeli-Palestinian question will serve as one of the most important turning points in the decay of the Western, i.e., American hegemony.

Urging all “reasonable and conscientious nations” to mount pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to “re-embrace common sense,” he made some important points. Specifically, Erdogan criticized Western countries for turning a blind eye to the massacre in Gaza and failing to push for a cease-fire, accusing them of hypocrisy. Stressing that the Western support for Israel’s massacre was incompatible with humanitarian and religious values, the Turkish leader called on humanity to act.

Although the Palestinian question started after the emergence of Zionism as a political movement, it has been at the center of Middle East politics for a long time due to the consequences of the Arab-Israeli Wars and the Israeli occupation after the establishment of the state of Israel. Relegated by many to the background due to developments focusing on Iran and the Persian Gulf since 1979, the Palestinian question has continued as an unresolved “problem,” and today, it is again the most important item on the agenda in the Middle East and the world at large.

The ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 7,000 lives, has the potential to mark a significant turning point in Middle East geopolitics. Israel’s contemplated ground offensive introduces a range of dynamics that suggest the conflict between Israel and Hamas will extend beyond Gaza. Historically, these conflicts followed a familiar pattern: Hamas attacks against Israel, Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, a cease-fire, and a return to the status quo. However, the events of Oct. 7 strongly indicate a departure from this pattern, with Israel possibly establishing a lasting presence in at least the northern sector of Gaza, thereby altering the status quo.

US backing Israel with weapons, aircraft carriers, consultants and more, according to experts

It is clear that Tel Aviv, which never again wants to see a similar attack to that of October 7, does not care about international reactions. A possible ground operation in Gaza, the opening of a new front by Hezbollah, new attacks in Syria, and further developments in the West Bank are among the hot topics on the current agenda. Our region may experience the horrific repercussions of ambitious deterrence.

In the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and the ongoing Israeli retaliation, is there anything different in the U.S. government’s response this time around?

Hostage-taking is the enforced sequestration of persons as a means of pressuring a government. It is prohibited under international law. The most famous recent instance was the sequestration of diplomats of the United States 1979-1981 in Iran.