Author: David Hearst
Affiliation: Middle East Eye
Organization/Publisher: Middle East Eye
Date/Place: September 12, 2020/UK
Type of Literature: Opinion Article
Word Count: 2058
Link:https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/new-message-resounds-arab-world-get-ankara
Keywords: Israel, Saudi Arabia, normalization, Turkey
Brief:
David Hearst, the editor in chief of the Middle East Eye, argues in his recent article that the intended target of the UAE-Israel alliance is not Iran but Turkey. He asks why the US president is investing time in a deal that will never work since the Palestinians will not accept it, nor the Arab states. For him, the coordinated statements from Arab leaders last week reflect that the real new enemy is neither Persian nor the Russian, rather it is the Turk. For instance, the UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash states that Turkish interventions are “negative interference in the region;” this was followed by Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry who stated that “Turkish interventions” represent the most significant threat to Arab national security. There are also other foreign actors to declare Turkey as “the new outlaw of the Eastern Mediterranean,” such as France (particularly Macron). The author emphasizes that Macron should learn from the experiences of Tony Blair, George W. Bush, David Cameron, and Nicolas Sarkozy to stay away from foreign adventure; Macron’s France is divided in this concern. Hearst observes that there is a strong unity in Turkey as well as consensus on Erdoğan’s foreign policy. The author warns the West that it should not create another enemy out of its Nato ally, reminding policy advisors that such an agenda clearly originates from Israel and the Gulf states.
By: Fadi Zatari, CIGA Senior Research Associate