The mediator

Before the Israeli war on Gaza Strip as well as during the war and as most recently as in latest talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s special envoy Professor Ahmet Davutoğlu, President Abbas is appealing Turkey to facilitate efforts to reconcile Egypt and Syria and thus help to reconcile Palestinian factions.

The messages of the Palestinian leader are clear. Reconciliation of Palestinian factions will not be possible as long as Egypt and Syria are not reconciled and somehow Iran is not convinced to stop using Hamas as a proxy in its loggerhead confrontation with the West. Obviously, there is no ideological difference between Hamas and the Islamic Brothers posing a serious challenge to the Egyptian administration. Syria, however, has been a staunch supporter of Hamas together with Iran. However, particularly after the genocidal war of Israel on Gaza, it has become all the more important for Palestinians to reconcile and establish a unity government.

On the other hand, Israel has been annoyed with the remarks of Erdoğan bordering racism. Particularly the demand of the Turkish premier that Israel must be barred from the United Nations was obviously perceived by the Ehud Olmert government as a "hostile" statement as serious as the "massacre" accusations.

On the part of the Erdoğan government, however, there appears to be a bad habit of drawing parallels with the legitimacy struggle of the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, administration and the "right" of Hamas to have a say in the administration and future of the Palestinian people as the victor of the last Palestinian elections. For example, under electoral rules of Palestine the term of President Abbas expired on Jan. 9. Ignoring another electoral rule which stipulates that parliamentary elections and presidential polls should be held simultaneously and as long as parliamentary elections could not be held the incumbent president remains in office, only Hamas and Turkey are stressing that the term of Abbas has expired. This attitude of Turkey is upsetting the Abbas administration and eroding Turkey’s capabilities as a mediator or facilitator.

Regional big brother Erdoğan
Furthermore, while under its "neo-Ottomanist" aspirations the Erdoğan government is hoping to play the role of a "regional big brother" role in the resolution of all regional conflicts, it cannot substitute Egypt not just because of the border of the Arab country with Gaza and possible security challenges a Hamas administration in Gaza can pose to itself, but as well due to the "natural historical leadership role" of Cairo in the Arab world. The pro-Hamas stand of Ankara, on the other hand, is upsetting Egypt as well, though lately after a series of contacts between the Turkish, Palestinian and Egyptian presidencies and intense closed door talks in Ankara with the Egyptian foreign minister, Turkey has started recognizing Egypt’s "natural role."

This is the very complicated background of Middle East diplomacy. The statements of Davutoğlu and Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu reflected a realistic assessment. What did they say? "Without Palestinian reconciliation it will be very difficult to have either a sustainable cease-fire or to have a revival of the peace processÉ It is an immediate task, Egypt will lead these talks, we will be contributing." That is, the top envoys acknowledged that Turkey will not be the mediator, but a facilitator. Reason prevailed finally!

But, even to play the role of facilitator, someone must convince the prime minister that Turkey should learn to stay at equidistance to the parties of the dispute, be it the antagonism between Palestinian factions or the Palestinian-Israeli problem. If Turkey continues to act "Hamas was elected, but its election victory was denied. As AKP we know what that is and therefore must be in solidarity with Hamas" understanding, forget becoming a mediator or facilitator, it cannot make any contribution to the peace efforts because that Turkey will become part of the problems. That is the mistake that Erdoğan is insisting to commit nowadays with over-emotional statements while rightly condemning the Israeli aggression.