While it may not attract any attention in the international media, Turkish administration and experts of all political stripes are touting a potential Israeli attack on Turkish targets, even land claims. Why Ankara suddenly turned so paranoid about Israel is unclear, given the geographical distance, Turkey’s formidable economic power and her strong military assets. It could all be PR for domestic consumption.
One of the few impartial Ankara watchers in Turkey, Murat Yetkin wrote about Ankara’s new found pet peeve:
A statement similar to the President’s declaration in the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye about Israel targeting Türkiye had been made by the Speaker of the Parliament, Numan Kurtulmus, at his press conference on September 30. From this, it is possible to infer that the Turkish state may possess information along these lines, possibly communicated to top officials by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
The claim of Promised Lands
Both Erdogan and Kurtulmus associate this with the “Promised Lands” mentioned in the Torah. According to this, Israel’s goal is to establish a “Greater Israel” in the region from the Nile River to the Euphrates River, which includes all of Jordan and Lebanon, the northeastern part of Egypt including Sinai, the west of Syria, and a part of Türkiye’s southern territories. At the parliament opening ceremony, Kurtulmus’s reference to Israel’s “messianic” claim in English, looking at diplomatic representatives, and Erdogan’s mention of Israel’s “religious fanaticism” also allude to the theopolitical strategy of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government based on Jewish law.
We don’t know at this stage what the military-political intelligence is about this, but a development just before the start of the land operation in Lebanon indicated that this intention exists in Israeli government circles. On September 25, The Jerusalem Post, known for its proximity to the Netanyahu government, removed an article titled “Is Lebanon part of Israel’s promised territory?” from its website due to international reactions.
The promised lands discourse in Ankara has only started to be expressed by the highest state officials in the last few days.
Türkiye cannot be intimidated by Israel
However, the way the President of Türkiye and the Speaker of the Parliament express these statements, not the statements themselves but the manner of expression, is problematic as it creates the perception that Türkiye is under threat from Israel and that Israel is a power to be feared.
Firstly, the public will not find the warning that Israel would dare to attack Türkiye credible. Even if it appears in headlines attributed to the President today, it’s unlikely to be permanent. For example, doesn’t even the shortest-range missile type in Iran’s possession pose a threat to Türkiye?
Secondly, is Türkiye considering sending troops to Lebanon against Israel, for example? Fortunately, there’s no such indication. The Syrian militias under Türkiye’s influence consist of Sunni radicals. They might prefer to fight against Hezbollah and the Revolutionary Guards in Syria rather than “volunteering” to fight Israel to defend Shia Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Thirdly, who is Erdogan complaining to, and about whom? Is the petition to the USA?
While watching Erdogan yesterday, I remembered another October 1 speech, President Suleyman Demirel’s speech on October 1, 1998, threatening Syria with war if it continued to harbor PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. It was an effective move. Ocalan was first expelled from Syria, then captured.
What will Türkiye do?
First of all, it will remain calm.
It is the right attitude to continue defending the rights of Palestine and Palestinians in an environment where the Muslim Arab world is afraid of even Israel’s shadow and does not speak up. Likewise, it is right to defend the territorial integrity and sovereign rights of our neighbors Lebanon and Ukraine.
As the world and our region are rapidly being drawn into a ring of fire, and in an environment where missile wars are taking place in Türkiye’s northern and southern neighboring areas, the Turkish government’s primary duty is to protect Türkiye’s rights and security with its country and people. That’s why there is a need to be calm.
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