Aylık arşivler: Kasım 2023

The Arduous Path to the Two-State Solution

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October 27, 2023

“While declarations, resolutions, and universal “sectoral” treaties have articulated some distinct conditions and core elements, no standardized definition of terrorism exists. In the absence of an internationally agreed definition of acts of terrorism, the High Commissioner for Human Rights calls upon States to be guided by the key elements of acts of terrorism provided in Security Council resolution 1566 (2004) and the model definition developed by the Special Rapporteur. As a minimum, Terrorism involves the intimidation or coercion of populations or governments through the threat or perpetration of violence, causing death, serious injury or the taking of hostages.”

“In reality, national definitions of terrorism remain largely left to the discretion of States, leading to varying interpretations in domestic counter-terrorism legislation.”[i]

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Presidents Biden and Xi Meet

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November 20, 2023

A principal foreign policy objective of the Obama White House was “pivot to Asia”. However, the Arab Spring, interventions in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war in 2014, and the annexation of Crimea by Russia did not allow him to focus on Asia. But a White House fact sheet titled “Advancing the Rebalance to Asia and the Pacific” published on November 16, 2017, stated the following:

“As President Obama told Chinese President Xi Jinping during his state visit in September, the United States welcomes the rise of a China that is peaceful, stable, prosperous, and a responsible player in international affairs.  Building a constructive relationship with Beijing that simultaneously supports expanding practical cooperation on global issues while candidly addressing differences between us is an important component of the Rebalance.  We support China becoming an increasingly capable and active partner in addressing regional and global challenges, and in working with us and others to strengthen the existing international system of norms, rules, and institutions…”[i]

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The Gaza War and the Challenges Ahead

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November 13, 2023

The Hamas assault of October 7 and Israel’s military response with total disregard for civilian life have both drawn harsh criticism worldwide, most notably by the UN Secretary-General Guterres. It has inevitably led to questions about the future of the Palestinian problem. Unfortunately, Secretary Blinken’s recent trip to the region has not accomplished much other than diverting some attention from IDF’s operations in Gaza. Now, even the Western partners of Israel are feeling compelled to balance their support for Tel Aviv with calls for “cease-fires”. In recent days, Israel declared four-hour pauses to allow the Gazans to escape the fighting in the north and thus contain growing international reaction to the humanitarian catastrophe in the Strip, and to gain time to fight Hamas to the bitter end, at least in northern Gaza.

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Ankara’s Roller-coaster Foreign Policy

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November 6, 2023

Türkiye and Israel enjoyed good relations for decades. The coming to power of the AKP in 2002 introduced an element of uncertainty into the relationship. However, there was no major disturbance until the “one-minute” incident at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 30, 2009, where Prime Minister Erdoğan, in the presence of President Shimon Peres, strongly denounced Israel for its attitude toward the Palestinians. This marked the beginning of the downturn.

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Türkiye and the Gaza War

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November 1, 2023

The October 7 Hamas assault was a shock for the Israelis. It should not have been. As I mentioned in an earlier post, some foresaw that trouble was in the making. The following is from an International Crisis Group statement of March 21, 2023, titled “Persistent Violence in Israel-Palestine Could Escalate Further”:

“Tensions have been rising for the past few months, fueled by a combination of factors. Among them are deadly Israeli military raids in Palestinian population centers in the West Bank; killings of Israelis by individual Palestinians; mob rampages by Israeli settlers; incendiary statements by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new far-right government and the Knesset; a restless and militarily potent Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and a Palestinian Authority (PA) that has, in many Palestinians’ eyes, lost legitimacy as its security apparatus starts to break down.”

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