Smart Maneuvers: How Turkiye Eased Western Pressure on Hamas and Qatar

There are still repeated and escalating Israeli attacks on Qatar's role as an effective international mediator, seeking to resolve the tragedy of Israeli aggression on Gaza, which has left tens of thousands dead and wounded.

On April 23, 2024, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed al-Ansari announced that Doha needed to reassess its mediation efforts between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and "Israel" at this stage.

Al-Ansari emphasized that his country was frustrated by the repeated attacks on its mediation, referring to statements by extremist ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu's government regarding Qatar's role.

Following that, al-Ansari explicitly stated that Qatar's coordination with Turkiye regarding ways to halt the war on Gaza continues, reaffirming his country's commitment to mediation efforts and working to prevent further security collapse in the region.

Qatar's stance on assessing mediation came amid pressure from American and Israeli politicians to distance Hamas leaders from Doha. However, Turkiye's strong entry into the fray in recent days has outlined new contours for the ongoing diplomatic battle.

The changes in Turkiye's position and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statements have clear implications that Israeli pressure to impose a specific situation will remain uncertain and confrontational.

Haniyeh's Reception in Istanbul

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reception of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh and his accompanying delegation at Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul on April 20, 2024, signaled Ankara's larger role in the file.

Since the beginning of the war, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made unprecedented statements defending Gaza, targeting Israeli officials and likening them to Nazis.

On April 17, during a meeting of the Justice and Development Party parliamentary bloc in the Turkish capital, Ankara, he said, "I will continue to defend the Palestinian struggle and be the voice of the oppressed Palestinian people for as long as God gives me life, even if I am left alone."

He further likened Hamas to the Turkish National Forces during the War of Independence, referring to a war fought by the Turkish National Forces against the occupation forces of Greece, France, Armenia, and Britain, and managed to emerge victorious after fierce and protracted battles that lasted from 1919 to 1923.

These developments angered "Israel," which had been attempting to diplomatically block and undermine Qatari mediation.

In its first Israeli reaction to the meeting and statements, the Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister, Yisrael Katz, attacked the Turkish President, saying, "Shame on you."

In response, Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said, "Israeli officials should feel ashamed of their crimes in Gaza."

Visits by Fidan

Among the progressive steps taken by Turkiye in support of Qatari mediation, there was the visit by the former Turkish intelligence chief and current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkiye, Hakan Fidan, to Doha on April 17.

A press conference was held with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, with the main topic being "the assessment of mediation."

The Qatari minister remarked that "some parties are trying to exploit Qatari mediation to achieve narrow political gains and engage in election propaganda," in reference to the Israeli side.

"There is defamation of Qatar's role in mediation, and we reject this defamation," adding, "We engaged in mediation out of humanitarian, national, and patriotic motives to protect our Palestinian brothers," he continued.

Following this, the Turkish minister stated that "some Western countries want a two-state solution but have doubts about Hamas, especially in light of Israeli propaganda that seeks to portray the movement as akin to the Islamic State."

Fidan said, "Currently, there is intense Turkish-Qatari communication and close cooperation, as both countries exert significant efforts to achieve a ceasefire and reach a two-state solution," reaffirming his support and praise for Qatar's role since the beginning of the aggression.

The Equation Remains

Palestinian writer Yasser al-Zaatreh provided an analysis of Turkiye's evolving position towards Gaza in general and Qatar in particular.

He stated: "It began with unprecedented Qatari responses to Zionist and American attacks on it, which Doha had previously ignored.

Then came Al Thani's suggestion to halt mediation after American hysteria in response to Hamas' reaction to the latest document, which remained the same as its response to the previous one, despite the belief among Joe Biden's followers that it warranted consideration.

He added: "The Turkish Foreign Minister's visit to Doha and his lengthy meeting with Hamas leadership, followed by Ismail Haniyeh's meeting with Erdogan, raised many questions."

This is especially given leaks about Hamas leadership looking for a new location other than Qatar after increasing American-Zionist pressure on them, and then the question arises about the identity of the new location, whether it is Turkiye, Iran, or others.

"All of this will not materially change the existing equations. Neither will Hamas leadership leave Doha, even if it has a place in Istanbul. Nor will Qatar completely stop its mediation efforts [even America does not want that, even if it calls for pressure on Hamas], he concluded.

"Hamas will not succumb to pressure and accept the American paper or any other document that does not meet the demands of its people."

Similarly, researcher specializing in Turkish affairs, Saeed a-Haj, wrote on April 22: "It is likely that Turkiye played its role in supporting the Qatari position rather than competing with it or undermining it, especially as American pressure is real, especially from some members of Congress."

In an article for Arabi 21, he pointed out that "Ankara has been trying since the beginning of the aggression to have a role in mediation, something that Netanyahu's government rejected, and we do not believe that there has been a tangible change in this regard recently."

The Turkish Alternative

Commenting on the scene, Palestinian political analyst Nader Abu Ras told Al-Estiklal that it is essential to understand the context in which the defeated and besieged Netanyahu government operates.

"It is pressuring Hamas and the resistance factions by pressuring Qatar as the closest and most reliable mediator for Hamas, and because some of the movement's leaders reside there."

"Netanyahu wants to resolve the prisoner dilemma, and he wants the process to be done as it did in the first exchange deal, but as Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, said 'all for all.'"

"Hamas knows well how the Zionists think and procrastinate, and their negotiations are a lure to resolve or liquidate the prisoner problem. They could be targeted as has happened with more than one prisoner, then they would be left alone with the resistance and our besieged people in Gaza," the Palestinian analyst added.

"Here comes the important Turkish role, and it is known that Israel does not want Turkiye, or specifically Erdogan's government, to have an active role in mediation and negotiations, especially as containing Turkiye is an Israeli national security issue no less important than eliminating Hamas and striking the resistance in Gaza."

Abu Ras concluded by saying: "The United States itself does not want to lose Qatari mediation, but at the same time, it will be cautious about any active Turkish role. Hence, the Qatari–Turkish alliance to save mediation was a smart and calculated move that will alleviate Israeli pressure on Qatar and consequently on the resistance leaders abroad."