The escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian war after the Hamas attacks that started on October 7, 2023 continues to increase tension in the region. Following the attacks launched by Israel throughout the region, including Lebanon, Yemen and Syria, Iran launched the "Operation True Promise" attack against Israel on April 13 with more than 300 ammunition-loaded drones and missiles. Following these attacks, Israel attacked the Iranian city of Isfahan on April 18 and the Hashd al-Shaabi center in Baghdad on April 19. While rocket attacks against Israel continue through Lebanon and Yemen, Israel's occupation of Gaza continues.

 

In the shadow of all the conflicts, Palestine's full membership in the United Nations (UN) was not accepted. The proposal to recognize the Palestinian state in the UN Security Council was blocked by the US veto. Again, the remaining 12 members of the council voted in favour, while Britain and Switzerland abstained.

 

We talked with journalist Yusuf Karadaş about the tension in the Middle East, the countries' perspective on the Palestine issue and possible new conflicts.

 

Karadaş said that the USA, which gave the veto decision at the UN, and the countries that abstained were pursuing a bilateral policy, and stated that the statement of the US officials that the problem should be solved between Palestine and Israel was unrealistic.

Stating that one of the countries in question occupied the lands of the other and committed massacres, Karadaş said: "If we are talking about applying UN law, there are decisions of the UN in 1967 and 1973 that talk about Israel's withdrawal from the areas occupied by Palestine and a two-state solution. While they openly say that they defend democracy and international law, they apply double standards. We also saw this hypocrisy in the independence referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan in 2017. The USA carried out operations together with the Federated Kurdistan administration. But it did not support this referendum, which was held within the scope of the right of nations to self-determination, which is guaranteed under UN law. Therefore, the basic policy of the imperialists in the region is neither the establishment of law nor peace. It's just their own interests." 

 

USA'S FEAR OF REGIONAL WAR

 

Adding that Western states take Israel's existence and interests as a basis, Karadaş continued: "Those who remained silent while Israel bombed the Iranian consulate in Syria are lining up to show solidarity after Iran's response. This even reveals how the legal issue is handled. While Netanyahu is attacking, the USA is playing a role in preventing the development of reactions in other countries. The United States' concern is that these attacks will spread into a conflict across the region. Because the USA has been discussing withdrawing its military forces from Iraq and Syria since 2008. Essentially, it was trying to implement a policy that would fight in the Asia-Pacific to stop the rise of China. Normalization agreements were signed between Arab regimes and Israel through the Abraham Accords. A plan was put into practice on the axis desired by the USA. Another concern of the USA is that the war environment will damage the relations it has established here. Another reason for the US's fear of regional war is that Iran has expanded its sphere of influence in the region following its interventions in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Again, Russia increased its power in the region. These interventions and conflicts did not produce the desired results for the United States."

 

'THE WAR MAY GET OUT OF CONTROL'

 

Karadaş noted that Iran does not want to lose its effective power, which it has established in a wider area than it can imagine in the region, and stated that Iran is also experiencing serious problems in its domestic politics. Referring to the protests that started after the murder of Jîna Emînî, Karadaş added: "There is a great reaction against the Mullah regime. The Mullah regime is an anti-democratic, oppressive regime. Therefore, while responding to the attacks against it, it does not want the response to reach a point that will trigger an out-of-control regional war. It is showing power in a way that shows that it will not remain silent. On the other hand, it is acting in a controlled manner. While Israel did not claim responsibility for the attack on Isfahan, this attitude of the USA is an indication that it does not want to get involved in the process. Of course, there is also the possibility that this controlled war could get out of control. Israel is pushing the limits too much and Iraq continues its attacks in Syria. Again, there is increasing armament in the world. It is impossible to say whether the outcome of this will lead to a regional or more comprehensive war. But it can lead to more dangerous consequences." 

 

'TURKEY SIDES WITH ISRAEL AND THE USA'

 

Evaluating Turkey's stance on the Palestinian issue, Karadaş said that commercial relations with Israel continued during the Erdogan administration despite the massacres. However, Karadaş stated that the last election defeat forced the Erdogan government to impose sanctions and said: "Even here, the concerns of trying to get closer to the US axis are evident. The AKP minister accepts that there is genocide in Palestine and says that there is a free trade agreement with Israel. Even this reveals the truth of AKP. The most basic needs of the occupation forces go from Turkey. On the other hand, the tension between Israel and Iran has a special importance for Erdogan. Turkey has been negotiating with the Iraqi center and the Kurdistan administration on the one hand, and the USA on the other, for a long time. With these talks, Turkey is attempting to assume a role as a power that will limit Iran in the region. On the other hand, it wants support for an operation to eliminate the PKK's military presence in Iraq. Even these pursuits are a very concrete indicator of Turkey's side with Israel."

 

'NOT IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE'

 

Emphasizing that this entire struggle for sovereignty in the region is not in favor of the people, Karadaş said that the conflicts lead to the oppression and exploitation of the people. Stating that the imperialist occupation in the region must end in order for this whole process to end, Karadaş lastly said: "The people of every country must struggle to determine their own future. This is not easy. But the popular uprisings of 2009-2010 showed that the people of the Middle East can create such a dynamic. In the face of ethnic, sectarian or religious war, people can overcome these divisions and build a Middle East in which they can live together to the extent that they fight together. For example, when talking about the Palestine issue, we should know that it is not just an issue there. Just as the Kurdish issue is a regional issue, so is the Palestinian issue, and their solution is meaningful in terms of all dynamics. Solidarity with the Palestinian people is also part of the struggle of the Kurdish people. The fate of all of us depends on solidarity with each other." 

 

MA / Tolga Güney