Assist. Prof. Fehmi Ağca: "Can Türkiye be a mediator?"
Evaluating the Palestinian-Israeli tension, Political Science expert Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca said "The image of the unshakable, strong state of Israel was seriously shaken by the raid by Hamas, and an investigation was launched against the Mossad, which failed to know about the attack in advance.”. Pointing out that Israel is expected to carry out more massacre attacks on Gaza, Ağca said that the biggest impact of the Hamas raid is that it raises doubts about Israel's survival. Stating that Türkiye has approached with caution from the very first moment, Ağca added that Türkiye and Egypt can play an active role as mediators.
Üsküdar University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Political Science and International Relations (English) Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca commented on the Palestinian-Israeli tension.
Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca reminded that the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181 on 29 November 1947 envisaged the establishment of two independent states, one Arab and the other Jewish, on Palestinian lands with the end of the British mandate regime, and the demilitarization of Jerusalem and an international status under the auspices of the UN Trusteeship Council.
The matter of Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories
Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca explained that the Arab-Israeli War broke out on May 14, 1948 upon the establishment of the state of Israel, and Israel expanded its territory while three-quarters of the Palestinian lands came under the rule of Israel. More than 750 thousand Palestinians became refugees, and Jordan took over the administration in the West Bank and Egypt took over the administration in Gaza. Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca continued his remarks as follows:
"In 1967, Israel also occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt and the Golan Heights in Syria. Hereupon, the UN Security Council (UNSC) called for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied territories with Resolution 242.
However, Israel does not want to withdraw from these lands. In the West Bank, which Israel occupied after the 1967 war, more than 500,000 Jewish settlers currently live in about 250 illegal Jewish settlements. According to international law, all Jewish locations in the occupied territories are considered illegal."
Israel is expected to organize more massacre attacks on Gaza.
Reminding that Israel has carried out attacks on the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas, which it sees as a threat to Israel, and has caused the death and maiming of thousands of innocent civilians. Prof. Fehmi Ağca stated the following remarks:
"The Palestinian people living in Gaza are trying to resist and survive by exercising their right to self-defense with their very limited means. However, the people of Gaza have so far not been able to respond effectively to Israeli attacks in the face of Israel's high-tech armed forces, which are unconditionally supported by the United States.
On October 7, 2023, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, which is the military wing of Hamas, seized some Israeli settlements with Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, with paramotor, by tearing down barbed wire, and by breaking through walls. It seized Israeli military bases, tanks and ammunition. A large number of Israeli soldiers were killed and some high-ranking Israeli soldiers were taken prisoner. In response, Israel decided to launch Operation Iron Sword. Israel officially declared war, and the Israeli army began bombing Gaza. Israel is expected to carry out more massacre attacks on Gaza, which it has blockaded for years, by leaving it to starve, poverty and death.
What is the biggest impact of the Hamas raid?
“The image of the unshakable and strong state of Israel was severely undermined by the Hamas raid, and an investigation was launched against the MOSSAD, which failed to know about the attack in advance. The biggest impact of the Hamas raid is that it raises doubts about Israel's survival.”
From the very first moment, Türkiye has been cautious about the situation
Drawing attention to the reactions in the international community regarding the Palestinian-Israeli tension, Asst. Prof. Fehmi Ağca concluded his remarks as follows:
"While the U.S. and the EU have expressed their support for Israel, Türkiye has been cautious from the beginning. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on the parties to exercise restraint, while the Turkish Foreign Ministry has launched a rapid diplomatic traffic with third parties. It is important that Egypt also calls for restraint.
Türkiye and Egypt can play an active role as mediators...
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the biggest obstacles to world peace. After Hamas' attack, it may lead Israel to abandon its occupation policies and to live side by side in peace with the Palestinian people within the framework of the UN resolution on the two-state solution. In this context, Türkiye and Egypt can play an active role together as mediators.
Israel can continue its massacres as it did in the past, forcing the Palestinian people to migrate again. This could destroy all prospects for peace in the Middle East and pave the way for an escalation and spread of hostilities between the Israeli state and Palestinian resistance groups."
Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)