Insight Turkey / issues

Editor's Note | Winter 2020

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 16:07:00 GMT

Through a wide range of commentaries and articles, this issue of Insight Turkey aims to bring to its readers a comprehensive framework on the current situation of the Israeli-Palestinian question. Whether there will be a deal to this problem remains a difficult question to be answered. Currently one thing is clear, that the plan declared by the Trump Administration, which was welcomed by Israel and some of its Arab allies, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, assures the Palestinian people the continuation of their century long ordeal.

The Status and Significance of Bayt al-Maqdis in Islam

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 17:43:00 GMT

In this commentary, the status and significance of Bayt al-Maqdis in Islam is discussed from a religious perspective. The importance of Bayt al-Maqdis is emphasized in the Qur’an and in the traditions (hadith) of Prophet Muhammad. The paper explains the significance of Bayt al-Maqdis by addressing the close bonds, unalienable rights, and firm ties that link Muslims to Bayt al-Maqdis and the land of Palestine. The author claims that there are four significant bonds through which Muslims link to Bayt al-Maqdis, namely bonds of creed, bonds of worship, bonds of civilization and culture, and historical bonds.

Israelis, Palestinians, and Americans: More Politics, Please, Less Process

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 15:53:00 GMT

In this commmentary, it is emphasized that it has been years, perhaps decades, since the success of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians became so utterly implausible that efforts to conduct or encourage them ceased to matter, except for the political cover that making such efforts could give to politicians and diplomats primarily interested in other things.

Obstacles and Possibilities for Peace between Israel and Palestine

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:35:00 GMT

. The commentary addresses these and other obstacles, but it also notes the important changes that have occurred, making resolution of the conflict possible. These include the pragmatic 1988 PLO decision to create a state next to the state of Israel in the West Bank and Gaza, with a capital in East Jerusalem; the exchange of letters of mutual recognition between Chairman Arafat and Prime Minister Rabin that preceded the 1993 Oslo Principles, and the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002.

Israeli Settlements, U.S. Foreign Policy, and International Law

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:10:00 GMT

This commentary argues that the announcement of U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s statement claiming that Israel’s settlements are not contrary to international law was connected to developments at the International Criminal Court (ICC) where the Prosecutor, a month later, announced that there is a reasonable basis to initiate an investigation into alleged war crimes committed in Palestine by Israel and Hamas.

Turkey’s Entrance to International Education: The Case of Turkish Maarif Foundation

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:37:00 GMT

The Turkish Maarif Foundation (TMF) is the most recent state-led institution to promote Turkey’s cultural diplomacy and soft power. This commentary contextualizes the Turkish Maarif Foundation in Turkish foreign and domestic policy and outlines a vision through evaluating its activities over the past three years.

Writing Malaysia and the Moro Identity: An Analysis of the Moro National Liberation Front’s Foreign Policy

Fri, 21 Dec 2018 16:43:00 GMT

Malaysia began supporting the MNLF when the group emerged in the 1970s. In recent years, however, the relationship between Malaysia and the MNLF has changed, especially when the MNLF repeatedly expressed negative comments about the Malaysian government. This study aims to explain the shift in the MNLF discourse on Malaysia and the ramifications of this new discourse within the Philippine state. To achieve these aims, this study approaches the issue through the lens of power relations and foreign policy. Moreover, this research employs the analysis of the MNLF’s writings and speeches. Lastly, it argues that the discourse of the MNLF on Malaysia is related to its struggle for legitimacy within the Philippines.

Deconstructing the Gulf Crisis: Post-Colonialism and Competing ‘Projects’ in the Middle East

Mon, 06 May 2019 15:06:00 GMT

This article deconstructs the stated reasons behind the quartet’s blockade on Qatar, including i) Iranian-relations; ii) funding ‘terror;’ iii) supporting ‘political Islam’ –Hamas, Muslim Brotherhood, etc.; and iv) destabilizing the Arab world through Al Jazeera, and scrutinizes their veracity. In actuality, these accusations are mere obfuscation. Henceforth, understanding the quartet’s motivation requires employing post-colonialism as an explanatory variable. It does so by assuming the preponderance of U.S. military power in the GCC produces three conflicting ideal-types: i) Saudi-led quartet Arab project, ‘subservient’ to U.S. hegemony; ii) Iranian-led partisan project, resisting/increasing engagement to U.S. hegemony; iii) Turkish-led ‘civic Islam’ project, pivoting from engagement to resisting U.S. hegemony. In this, three-rivalry is the roots of the blockade and the larger meta-strategy at behind the blockade.

The Paradox of Inclusion/Exclusion of Islamist Parties in Tunisia and Jordan after the Arab Uprisings: A Comparative Study

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 17:43:00 GMT

The public protests that engulfed most Arab regimes in 2011 have since opened a Pandora’s Box of democratization processes in the MENA region. One of the upshots of the popular uprisings has been the empowerment of the key opposition group in the region, i.e. mainly Islamist actors. Despite the electoral victories of Islamist political parties after decades of political exclusion, the Islamist movement and its agenda in the post-Arab Spring era have followed different trajectories in various countries around the region. This article aims to explore the divergent trajectories of two countries in the region, namely the inclusion of Islamists in the case of Tunisia and their exclusion in the case of Jordan. As a corollary, the divergent domestic and regional contexts shaping the politics of Islamist parties will be explored.

Israeli Practices of Governance in Palestine

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 11:56:00 GMT

By the standards of historical and anthropological scholarship, Israel constitutes a colonial settler regime whose certain features may differ from those exhibited by other European settler regimes. Yet, in the larger scheme of things it shares with other such regimes the displacement of the indigenous population, seizure of their territory, the passing of racially biased laws that discriminate against the native population, and reliance on violence to further its methods of control. Originally, the Zionist movement and later the state of Israel have frustrated the aspirations of the Palestinian people towards statehood. Ultimately, the state of Israel has codified its new Citizenship Law that defines Israel as the state of the Jewish people, thus ignoring the status of the original Palestinian population.

Evaluating Hamas’ Struggle in Palestine

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 23:07:00 GMT

This article examines the history and outcomes of Hamas’ involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By using published sources and conducting interviews with five incumbent Hamas officials living abroad, the article evaluates the group’s achievements and failures since the onset of its active role in the military struggle against Israel and in Palestinian politics against the other main actor, Fatah. It concludes that Hamas, while achieving some success in its military struggle against Israel, has not delivered the expectations of the Palestinian people, partly because it was squeezed into to the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Authority, and partly because international actors have blocked aid from entering the Hamas-controlled areas. Hamas is expected to continue fighting, but may partially withdraw from politics, as the people of Gaza are not happy with its governance due to higher unemployment, as well as the Israeli blockade and attacks.

U.S. Policy Toward the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict under the Trump Administration: Continuity or Change?

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 23:56:00 GMT

The 2017 inauguration of Donald Trump as the U.S. president opened a new chapter in U.S. policy making toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Several developments that have taken place under the Trump Administration mark a clear rupture from the Oslo Accords in favor of support for Israeli plans to annex a large fraction of the West Bank and design a new settlement of the conflict according to its interests. While the U.S. policy toward the Palestinian issue is not radically different under Trump, he does break from former presidents in that he overtly indicates a sharp pro-Israel tilt and has been more transparent about the U.S. position in the conflict. In light of the developments that have taken place in the last three years, this article aims to investigate the main pillars of the U.S. policy toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to analyze how far the Trump Administration’s policies toward the conflict indicate a shift from those of his predecessors. It also offers some insights into the future of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by providing three prospective scenarios and discussing their repercussions.

A Socio-Political Overview of Post-Socialist Southeastern Europe Today

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 0:39:00 GMT

According to Freedom House, those southeast European states which have joined the European Union are “free” while the rest are “partly free.” For ordinary citizens, the most important issues are corruption, unemployment, and poverty. There is an approximate correlation between Freedom House’s assessments of democratic attainment and local perceptions of corruption: the more corrupt the country, the less democratic it is likely to be. The media are crucial players in politics, but have sometimes been corrupted by special interests or by the politicians themselves. Overall, taking into account also tolerance, levels of gender equality, and poverty, among other factors, Slovenia is doing the best in the region, while Kosovo remains in last place.

Israel, Palestine, and Apartheid

Wed, 25 Mar 2020 1:14:00 GMT

The term ‘apartheid’ was coined to describe the system of segregation, practiced for many years in South Africa. However, the 2002 Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court omitted all references to South Africa in its definition of ‘the crime of apartheid’ and the term is now defined globally as a crime against humanity. This article explores the similarities and differences between the now abandoned practice of apartheid in South Africa and the current apartheid policies of Israel, highlighting the need to differentiate between Israel proper (within its pre-1967 boundaries), Greater Israel (within the post-1967 boundaries), and Greater Palestine. Whereas Israel claims to offer democratic rights for all its citizens, all seven pillars of apartheid can be shown to exist in the occupied territories, where the Israeli regime is the sole authority, leaving the Palestinian Authority powerless. The article details how the influx of different immigrant communities to Israel has dispossessed the Palestinians from their land. It provides a new definition for the policies practiced, and the many ways in which Israel dictates the lives of the Palestinians, as ‘apartheid of a special type.’ It concludes with a proposal to support the policy of bi-nationalism, as stated in the Haifa Declaration of 2007.

Yemen in the International Security Agenda: The Context of Tribalism, Sectarianism, and Intervention

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 11:49:00 GMT

Yemen’s socio-political structure has a close connection with the tribes. Unlike the central and southern parts of the country, Yemen’s extreme north (Sa’dah, al-Jawf, northern ‘Amram) is dominated by tribal norms and customs.

Trust in the European Union in Challenging Times: Interdisciplinary European Studies

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:23:00 GMT

Trust in the European Union in Challenging Times offers an interdisciplinary approach to trust in the European Union (EU) derived from political science, law and economics.

Behind the Veil: A Critical Analysis of European Veiling Laws

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:55:00 GMT

Behind the Veil deepens the literature with its specific focus on the question of veiling and the way it is approached in European legislation and through the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 14:15:00 GMT

Central and Southeast European Politics Since 1989 aims to keep readers updated on the troublesome issues the countries of region have dealt with in their transition process from communism to democracy, and the present and future challenges they will have to handle in order to become democratic countries with full respect for the rule of law.

The Politics of Recognition and Engagement: EU Member States Relations with Kosovo

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 14:42:00 GMT

Declaring its independence on February 18, 2008, Kosovo received strong support from the EU as a whole, yet when it comes to individual states the degree of recognition and level of support vary. As of August 2019, 23 out of 28 EU member countries had recognized Kosovo, while five had not.

America and the Making of Modern Turkey: Science, Culture and Political Alliances

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 15:11:00 GMT

America and the Making of Modern Turkey: Science, Culture and Political Alliances, explores the activities of American philanthropic organizations in Turkey, such as the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations. This book provides readers with extensive research based on archival records. It consists of four chapters, along with an introduction and conclusion. All four chapters revolve around questions about the investments of American foundations in Turkey after the 1920s.

Rethinking Turkey-Iraq Relations: The Dilemma of Partial Cooperation

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 15:22:00 GMT

In Rethinking Turkey-Iraq Relations, Kumral explores the Saadabad Pact of 1937, the defense pact of 1955, the fall of the Pro-western Iraqi monarchy in 1958, the Gulf war in 1991 and the Iraq war in 2003, to highlight, explore and recognize the contextual, ontological, rhetorical and political consequences of cooperation and non-cooperation between Turkey and Iraq.

Islam and Good Governance: A Political Philosophy of Ihsan

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:08:00 GMT

Questions about Islam’s compatibility with democracy, its relationship with terrorism and the lack of good governance in Muslim countries have dominated academic discourse for a long time and Muslim scholars, who are generally defensive in these discussions, have had difficulty making their voices heard. Undoubtedly, the facts on the ground do not help those scholars who argue that Islam is not incompatible with good governance.

After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 16:32:00 GMT

After the Sheikhs: The Coming Collapse of the Gulf Monarchies, argues that “traditional monarchy as a legitimate regime type in the region is soon going to reach the end of its lifespan, especially as most of the Gulf states are now caught in a pincer movement of pressures between unsustainable wealth distribution mechanisms and increasingly powerful ‘super modernizing forces’ that can no longer be controlled or co-opted by political elites”.

Christianity and American State Violence in Iraq: Priestly or Prophetic?

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:03:00 GMT

Christianity and American State Violence in Iraq: Priestly or Prophetic? attempts to rethink the relationship of religion and violence by taking American Christians’ responses to the U.S. invasion of Iraq as a case study.

Egypt

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 17:26:00 GMT

The events that preceded and followed the downfall of then octogenarian Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 are tackled by Robert Springborg in the pithily book titled Egypt. The steady decline in Egypt’s fortunes is unpacked in six chapters, while the causes for the continued staying power of the army is of especial importance.

Web Panel | Recent Developments in the Israili-Palestinian Impasse

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 14:11:00 GMT

In this panel, organized by Insight Turkey, where the Israeli-Palestinian issue was discussed academically, the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate were emphasized. Although the importance of the region will inevitably increase in the coming years, it is thought that this panel will contribute to the efforts to examine and comprehend regional problems from a different perspective.