In recent months, Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) has been basking in international praise for a burst of diplomacy in which it mended relations with its neighbors and sought a role as peacemaker in regional conflicts. … But Gaza has proved one of the biggest tests yet of Ankara’s ambitions— one that has allowed it to flex its newly developed regional muscle but has also exposed the limits of its influence, strained long- standing ties with Israel and shown how hard it is to maintain statesmanlike detachment under pressure of public opinion. …
Answering the public mood, Mr. Erdogan toured Middle Eastern countries, called European leaders daily and received visits from Javier Solana, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, and Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general. But in contrast with Turkey’s ambitions as regional mediator, his efforts have been tilted to the Palestinian side and his criticism of Israel has been unequivocal— calling for its exclusion from the UN, accusing its politicians of electioneering and describing the offensive as a “dark stain on humanity." …
But even if Turkey has not played the leading role in halting the Gaza violence in Gaza, it may still be instrumental in creating a lasting settlement— using its ties with Israel and political relations developed with Hamas. Access the full article>>
