What could an identity-based approach be like for Turkey's Palestine policy?

People's approaches to the Palestinian issue vary depending on their level of education, political views or religious beliefs. For some, it can be interpreted as a cause that must be defended to the death, for some, it is a human tragedy, and for some, it can be interpreted as the price of betrayal of the Arab nation. The reason why opinions on the issue differ so much is Turkey's historical, religious and cultural ties with the region and the elements that form both sides of the issue. In particular, the fact that Jerusalem and Harem Al Sharif, which are the most important elements of the issue, are the holiest places for Muslims, causes people with high religious sensitivities to approach the issue with greater sensitivity. Although it is normal for the human, national and religious dimensions of the issue to be perceived differently, how it should be understood in line with our national interests, away from subjective effects, is the subject of this article. Before explaining the specific issues of the issue, it should be emphasized what we should understand by national interests.

In international relations, the constructivist view, contrary to the realist view, argues that states are not entities that only pursue their interests, but that their interests are also related to how they define themselves, that is, their identities, and claims that "who the states are also determines their interests", with an analogy made from people. Indeed, it is not uncommon for countries with political, religious, demographic and cultural similarities to establish close relations with each other. For example, USA, Canada, UK; Countries in the EU; The relations of the Turkish Republics with each other are of this type. So how do states define themselves? Here it is necessary to make a distinction between official documents and unofficial attitudes. Constitutions and official security documents give an important idea about the identities of states as they indicate the characteristics and basic values of states. However, governments, as the apparatus that runs the state, do not always act in accordance with the basic characteristics of the state, and may choose populist policies that prioritize the values and feelings of the majority of the people in order to increase their votes in elections.

This situation reveals a fundamental contradiction in determining foreign policy. The difference between the official policies of the state and the populist policies of the government. Here, the impact of the human element of the state, that is, the nation, on the identity of the state emerges. The preferences of the nation through elections or public pressure can have an impact on the foreign policy of the government, although not always. For this reason, in determining the interests of the state, the interests arising from the demands of the nation, as well as the characteristics derived from its founding documents, are also effective. In this case, when we say national interests, we should understand the interests of the nation or the state. The answer to this question is that the founding texts of the nation, which internalize its historical values within a democratic system, are the main texts that reflect the identity of the state and the nation. For this reason, it will be more effective to ensure national interests if foreign policy, which should be evaluated in the long term, is based on permanent fundamental values rather than current political preferences. 

The basic elements of the Republic of Turkey are defined in the preamble and first four articles of our Constitution. In this context, a Palestine policy based on our constitutional identity should be based on the following elements: Ataturkist understanding of nationalism, absolute superiority of the will of the nation, libertarian and secular democracy, "Peace at home, peace in the world" understanding, respect for human rights.

The historical ties between the Palestinian lands and people and the Republic of Türkiye are an undeniable fact. There are many works of our historical and cultural heritage in these lands, which came out of our control in the First World War after four hundred years of Ottoman rule. Mustafa Kemal Pasha, İsmet Pasha and Ali Fuat Cebesoy Pasha, among the leading members of the War of Independence, served as Group Commanders and Army-Corps Commanders on the Palestine front. In addition, thousands of our martyrs who died during the war lie in unknown graves on these lands. The Ataturkist understanding of nationalism is not based on ethnicity or religion, but rather on the will to live together and to keep the common historical heritage and cultural values alive. Continuing our connection with the Palestinian cultural geography, which has an important place in our national and cultural consciousness, preserving our works there and revealing new ones should be among our important policy priorities. The memory of our martyrs should be kept alive in decent martyrs' cemeteries that befit their honor.

Unfortunately, we do not have a martyrs' cemetery for our martyrs who fell to the ground in the battles in Gaza, Birussebi, Jerusalem, Nablus and many other places, except for the martyrs' cemetery in the British cemetery in Ramle and the air cemetery near Tabariye. The conceptualization that holds a place in our historical memory as "the betrayal of the Arabs" should not be allowed to mortgage the future of our relations with the region. Although it was not wrong to consider the cooperation of certain Arab tribes and sheikhs with our enemies as "treason" under the conditions of that period, it is not a correct approach to extend this to the entire people of the region. It should also not be forgotten that we are allies today with those we fought with back then.

Our approach to solving the Palestine problem is based on a two-state solution. It is the most natural right of the Palestinian people to live under the roof of a state that will be an honorable member of the human family. The two-state solution is a requirement of the international relations principle that nations determine their own destiny. The efforts of the Palestinian people, who have clearly demonstrated this will with their struggle since the end of the British mandate, should continue to be supported. However, the political structure in Palestine does not appear homogeneous. While a not very healthy presidential system supported by the West was implemented in the West Bank, Gaza was under the control of Hamas until October 2023.

The last presidential elections in Palestine were held in 2006, and the legislative council elections were held in 2006. The elections planned to be held in 2021 have been postponed indefinitely. It is important for the Palestinian parliament to be formed as a result of an inclusive election that represents the will of the Palestinian people, and the government to be formed by the president elected by the Palestinian people, in order to keep the national will alive. An important problem here is how to resolve the tension between the will of the people and a management acceptable to the international community. As a matter of fact, the government established by Hamas, which won the majority in the elections in January 2006, was dismissed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in June 2007. Turkey's attitude here should be in favor of establishing a political system that will sustain libertarian democracy with the absolute superiority of the will of the nation. A political structure formed in this way will contribute to the stability of the region as it will receive the support of the international community. Apart from this, it should not be forgotten that political structures that receive the support of ideological and radical organizations may work for the benefit of regional or extra-regional powers rather than ensuring the interests of the people.

The concept of "peace at home, peace in the world" has been one of the basic foreign policy principles of the Republic of Turkey since its establishment. This peaceful policy, which states that a state that is stable and provides peace within itself, will live in peace with other states, enabled the state to rapidly strengthen by seeking more resources for economic development and the welfare of its people in the first years of the Republic. In the following periods, every effort was made to strengthen the Turkish Armed Forces along with economic development, with the idea that a strong army is the guarantee of peace. Turkey, which has one of the strongest armies in its region, has not failed to use this power both for deterrence and for the establishment of world peace. All kinds of support should be given to the parties to resolve the Palestine issue through diplomatic means, avoiding armed conflict. If necessary, ways for the Turkish Armed Forces to take part in the region should be explored to establish and maintain peace. Such support will not only enable Turkey, which has close relations with both sides of the issue, to contribute to the solution of the issue, but will also contribute to the preservation of our historical and cultural ties and existence with the region.

It is known that Turkish people do not have anti-Semitic attitudes, and that Turkey is one of the rare places where they could take refuge when they were oppressed in other countries throughout history. During the Ottoman period, Jews were able to easily keep their religion and culture alive within the millet system. During the establishment of Israel, Turkey tried to follow a neutral policy despite its religious closeness with the Arabs. While he voted against the UN Partition Plan in the General Assembly in 1947, he did not delay in recognizing the State of Israel after its establishment. However, this neutral attitude did not mean remaining silent against the human rights violations suffered by Palestinians. While advocating a two-state solution politically, striving to improve the living conditions of the Palestinian people is a requirement of a people-oriented foreign policy. Every diplomatic effort should be made to eliminate Israel's numerous human rights violations, such as opening new Jewish settlements, expanding old ones, unlawful arrests, house searches, extrajudicial executions, demolishing the homes of prisoners or detainees, and travel restrictions, and to keep them on the agenda of the international community.

When the complex structure of the Palestine issue is evaluated together with Turkey's close historical and cultural ties with the region, it becomes difficult to form a healthy perspective. In international relations, it is natural for states to determine their attitudes according to their interests. However, these interests may not always be valid in every situation. In such cases, how states define themselves should also shed light on their foreign policies. Conducting a foreign policy in line with the state's constitutional identity regarding the Palestinian issue will enable a consistent, predictable policy and enable it to realize its national interests.