Political scientist and United World expert Onur Sinan Guzaltan evaluated Hamas’ military operations in Israeli territory, the course of the war and its repercussions in Türkiye for UWIDATA.
“Palestinians are fighting for independence”
Is the military operation launched by the Palestinian resistance and its aftermath just a local incident? How should we evaluate the support of the US and European countries for Israel in the context of recent events? Who is fighting with whom?
Firstly, Palestine is a front line in the conflict between the West and the East, just like the war in Ukraine.
Palestinians are fighting for liberation, for independence. They are defending their land, which has been under occupation for decades, and this is their basic human right.
The debates in Türkiye on the issue are ongoing. There are those who claim that the military operations organized by Hamas are playing into Israel’s hands and creating an excuse for Israel’s intervention. On the other hand, there are those who see all these developments a conspiracy staged by the US/Israel…
But the reality is very clear… The occupation that has been going on for decades had reached its limit, and today we are at the point of final straw.
“Palestinians made the right move at the right time”
The Palestinian statements have been of that content. They emphasized that the operations did not start out of the blue.
Yes, this is the result of a process. But of course, the dynamics between Palestine and Israel alone did not lead to the timing, the launching of this operation now.
The will that organized these operations took the world situation into account.
Today, we are at a point where the US, the power behind Israel, is in decline and losing ground. On the other hand, European states, another source of support for Israel, are in an economic, cultural, social and political crisis.
Therefore, the Palestinians seized the opportunity and made the right move at the right time.
The developments so far show that the military operation has been successful.
If today the US is forced to send its military fleet to the Mediterranean, if today US military planes and logistics planes are forced to deliver aid to Israeli ports, that means the Palestinian forces have prevailed.
We must consider every development in its entirety. As the US and Europe retreat, Palestine will gain further ground.
The fronts are common.
“There are people in Türkiye who think the US/Israel is invincible”
In Türkiye, the Palestinian issue has been like a turnstile. In many circles, we have heard arguments in defense of Israel in connection with the recent developments. Palestinians have been accused of inciting Israeli aggression because of the operation. What would you say about these evaluations in Türkiye?
Turkish Professor Yalçın Küçük has a famous saying: “Israel is more powerful in Türkiye than in Israel.”
We actually saw that today. With the attitude you mentioned with regard to the latest developments, we have seen that some of the circles in Türkiye calling themselves left, socialist and conservative, have an underlying inferiority complex towards the US and Israel.
Some of them are incapable of realizing the fact that the US and Israel can be defeated because their minds are stuck in the old world. The other part of these circles, I presume, is holding this position deliberately and fulfilling their duty.
“Ground operation in Gaza is the limit drawn before Israel”
You are right, the myth of invincible Israel had been first shattered by Hezbollah in 2016. Let’s end with some information on the ground. Do you think Hezbollah will involve in the war and where would its course be expected to evolve?
The first point is that even Israeli sources admit that Israel has lost the psychological edge. Israel’s image of invincibility is over.
Secondly, they were caught unprepared and lost control of the cities, so I think the Israeli authorities are now trying to buy some time.
The US attitude is important, of course… They sent their warships, but this can be read as a symbolic move for the time being. How Iran and Egypt are going to act will be decisive.
Egypt’s border gate with Gaza is of strategic importance. There is an election process in Egypt and the streets may mobilize in connection with these developments.
The involvement of Hezbollah would of course change many things. The equation becomes rather different.
But Hezbollah’s involvement could also trigger the US. And this could have a chain effect. The borders of this war have not yet been drawn, and the rules have not been set. The war has not yet settled into a certain dynamic. It needs time to settle.
It could get out of hand. We are talking about states with nuclear power. On the other hand, let’s not forget that there is a war between the West and Russia in Ukraine. I believe that all forces will show restraint, taking into account the balances in the world.
I’m not of the opinion that Israel is capable of maverick and bold actions as it has been capable in the past.
A line has been drawn for Israel. Israel has been informed by Egyptian mediators that if it launches a ground operation in Gaza, Hezbollah will intervene in the war through Lebanon.
This is a limit. Israel will decide. Israeli officials must be brooding now.
It is Israel’s decision, but at the same time, the question is whether the United States has the strength, the power, the will to take the conflict as far as it can.
Cover photo: Palestinians celebrate atop a destroyed Israeli tank east of Khan Younis at the Gaza Strip. Yousef Masoud / AP