Ali Asker
2009-01-08 00:59:49 UTC
Gaza v Qandil: questioning Turkey’s peace-making mission
* KurdishMedia.com - By Dilshad Hama
* 07/01/2009 00:00:00
While the idea of writing about the incocistincies triggered by
Israel’s Gaza assault stirring in my mind, I was a bit cautious to go
ahead. This is because we still live with the (either with me or
against me) mindset. We either with Israel against Hamas, or the other
way round. My concerns were about the risk of confirming a trade-off
between tow situations, condemning the ongoing atrocities in Gaza on
the hands of the “Jewish” state and criticising Turkey’s critical and
peace-making role-play with all its inconsistencies contained, and
setting this against turkey’s own internal and external policies, one
becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the globalised media while
the other barely attracting any attention from outside. While I belief
that what’s going on in Gaza under the offensive of a gigantic
military state in the region, Israel, is a mere crime against
humanity, meanwhile, I belief that these atrocities are only
acceptable in a world that accepts, even affirms- among countless
cases- what’s happening to Qandil and its defenceless residents under
constant Turkish and Iranian bombardments. What is striking however,
especially for Kurds is the hysterias reaction of these tow countries
(Iran and Turkey) to the Israeli assault on the “Muslims” of Gaza on
which they should have been given enough credit, had they themselves
not been involved in spreading fear in the hearts of thousands of the
“Muslim” population of Iraqi Kurdistan especially those resident in
the rural mountainous areas of Qndil and Pishder region and the areas
on the Turkish-Iraqi border near Dohuk province. Under the pretext of
eradicating PKK terrorism and fighting the separatist activities of
PJAk (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, operating within Iran), both
countries have been bombarding from air or shelling from the ground
(or both), using their latest technologically developed military
might. It seems that, if nothing, Kurds can unite these countries, one
secular and the other religious.
We might take Iran’s reaction and its rhetorical standing by
Palestinians for granted, as this is consistent with the religious
mission of the Islamic state, for that, I will only focus on Turkey’s
position in the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas. The
relationship between Israel and Turkey still considered being of
alliance and cooperation. Both being close allies to US, they have
been maintaining good relations for a long time, they been
particularly maintaining security and economic ties under the nose of
some regional Arab and Muslim countries who have been keeping a
distance with Israel. However, the AKP party seems to be promising
subtle foreign policies shifts from the conventional Turkish foreign
policy towards Israel. As the Israeli offensive proves more critical
and claims more lives among Palestinians, Rejeb Erdogan’s language
becomes more critical of Israel culminating so far in his comment
(History will be Israel’s judgment). Beside his critical comments,
Erdogan been out and about in a peace-making mission meeting Arab,
Muslim and Israeli leaders discussing ways to end the “Israeli
hostilities”, for this, he should be given credit despite many
questions which he would have to face. There is no doubt that the
severity of Israel’s offensive and its bloody consequences in Gaza
have created a worldwide atmosphere of denouncement and condemnation
and turkey’s political and public attitude towards Israel’s action
could partially be analysed in this way. However, the crucial and the
most important questions Erdogan and Turkish politicians and public
may have to answer, is why this double-standard attitude again? What
makes the tow situations mentioned above so different? Bombarding
houses, schools and mosques in Gaza under the pretext of protecting
Israeli citizens and stopping “unguided rockets” of Hamas on one hand,
and bombarding and shelling houses, mosques and schools of the rural
areas surrounding mountain Qandil under pretext of attacking PKK
hideouts and eradicating terrorism? True, far less innocent people
killed in the second case, however, every life counts and every life
is valuable, besides, the fear, devastation and fleeing ones own home
are characteristics of both Gaza and Qandil assaults.
While majority of Kurds full heartedly stand against the mass killing
and atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. I belief that they are
entitled to ask their Turkish brothers “in Islam” and neighbours, they
should feel the same way towards Kurds whom being victimised by
policies lack the basic foundations of morality and reason. If Erdogan
and Turkey are truly peace-loving, they should start from within,
first, finding a peaceful solution to their fellow Kurds citizen’s
question then stop devastating the lives of innocent Kurdish
population of Qandil and other border areas of Iraqi-Kurdistan.
Erdogan’s peace-making mission is self-defeating unless he can address
the internal injustice in his own country and unless his country
refrains from committing the same crimes he is criticising Israel for.
The author is a freelance writer: ***@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.kurdmedia.com/
* KurdishMedia.com - By Dilshad Hama
* 07/01/2009 00:00:00
While the idea of writing about the incocistincies triggered by
Israel’s Gaza assault stirring in my mind, I was a bit cautious to go
ahead. This is because we still live with the (either with me or
against me) mindset. We either with Israel against Hamas, or the other
way round. My concerns were about the risk of confirming a trade-off
between tow situations, condemning the ongoing atrocities in Gaza on
the hands of the “Jewish” state and criticising Turkey’s critical and
peace-making role-play with all its inconsistencies contained, and
setting this against turkey’s own internal and external policies, one
becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the globalised media while
the other barely attracting any attention from outside. While I belief
that what’s going on in Gaza under the offensive of a gigantic
military state in the region, Israel, is a mere crime against
humanity, meanwhile, I belief that these atrocities are only
acceptable in a world that accepts, even affirms- among countless
cases- what’s happening to Qandil and its defenceless residents under
constant Turkish and Iranian bombardments. What is striking however,
especially for Kurds is the hysterias reaction of these tow countries
(Iran and Turkey) to the Israeli assault on the “Muslims” of Gaza on
which they should have been given enough credit, had they themselves
not been involved in spreading fear in the hearts of thousands of the
“Muslim” population of Iraqi Kurdistan especially those resident in
the rural mountainous areas of Qndil and Pishder region and the areas
on the Turkish-Iraqi border near Dohuk province. Under the pretext of
eradicating PKK terrorism and fighting the separatist activities of
PJAk (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, operating within Iran), both
countries have been bombarding from air or shelling from the ground
(or both), using their latest technologically developed military
might. It seems that, if nothing, Kurds can unite these countries, one
secular and the other religious.
We might take Iran’s reaction and its rhetorical standing by
Palestinians for granted, as this is consistent with the religious
mission of the Islamic state, for that, I will only focus on Turkey’s
position in the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas. The
relationship between Israel and Turkey still considered being of
alliance and cooperation. Both being close allies to US, they have
been maintaining good relations for a long time, they been
particularly maintaining security and economic ties under the nose of
some regional Arab and Muslim countries who have been keeping a
distance with Israel. However, the AKP party seems to be promising
subtle foreign policies shifts from the conventional Turkish foreign
policy towards Israel. As the Israeli offensive proves more critical
and claims more lives among Palestinians, Rejeb Erdogan’s language
becomes more critical of Israel culminating so far in his comment
(History will be Israel’s judgment). Beside his critical comments,
Erdogan been out and about in a peace-making mission meeting Arab,
Muslim and Israeli leaders discussing ways to end the “Israeli
hostilities”, for this, he should be given credit despite many
questions which he would have to face. There is no doubt that the
severity of Israel’s offensive and its bloody consequences in Gaza
have created a worldwide atmosphere of denouncement and condemnation
and turkey’s political and public attitude towards Israel’s action
could partially be analysed in this way. However, the crucial and the
most important questions Erdogan and Turkish politicians and public
may have to answer, is why this double-standard attitude again? What
makes the tow situations mentioned above so different? Bombarding
houses, schools and mosques in Gaza under the pretext of protecting
Israeli citizens and stopping “unguided rockets” of Hamas on one hand,
and bombarding and shelling houses, mosques and schools of the rural
areas surrounding mountain Qandil under pretext of attacking PKK
hideouts and eradicating terrorism? True, far less innocent people
killed in the second case, however, every life counts and every life
is valuable, besides, the fear, devastation and fleeing ones own home
are characteristics of both Gaza and Qandil assaults.
While majority of Kurds full heartedly stand against the mass killing
and atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. I belief that they are
entitled to ask their Turkish brothers “in Islam” and neighbours, they
should feel the same way towards Kurds whom being victimised by
policies lack the basic foundations of morality and reason. If Erdogan
and Turkey are truly peace-loving, they should start from within,
first, finding a peaceful solution to their fellow Kurds citizen’s
question then stop devastating the lives of innocent Kurdish
population of Qandil and other border areas of Iraqi-Kurdistan.
Erdogan’s peace-making mission is self-defeating unless he can address
the internal injustice in his own country and unless his country
refrains from committing the same crimes he is criticising Israel for.
The author is a freelance writer: ***@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.kurdmedia.com/