Despite ambitions, Ankara’s role in Gaza will be limited

Biden is unlikely to turn to Erdogan in this time of need.

Δημοσίευση στο asiatimes.com

As tensions rise in and around Gaza, and with Israel pounding the Hamas stronghold as it prepares for a potential ground invasion, regional powers are focused on saving civilian lives and achieving a ceasefire.

Egypt, with its land border, and Qatar, a longtime Hamas ally, have been viewed as the most likely intermediaries in a conflict that risks spiraling out of control. But Turkey is another contender that cannot be ignored.

Since the attacks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a staunch supporter of Hamas, has reserved his fiercest criticism for the United States. He continues to advocate for an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital within the 1967 borders and has warned that US military maneuvers in the region could lead to “serious massacres” in Gaza.

Foreign leaders have in turn called on Ankara to intervene. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock urged Turkey to use its diplomatic ties with Hamas to push for the release of hostages, including German nationals. In response, Baerbock’s Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, unveiled a Turkish peace plan.

Ties with Hamas
But is the West asking more of Turkey than it can deliver? Desperate for a solution, the international community seems ready to take help wherever it may come. Yet there are two reasons that place is unlikely to be Ankara.

The first is simply that Ankara’s relationship with Hamas, although possibly useful in this situation, is too cozy for many world leaders to accept.