Turkey's chief foreign policy and security adviser to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken out in support of Turkey's decision to host senior Hamas figures, stating that the country is actively engaging with Hamas in efforts to promote peace. Hamas members have the freedom to travel to and from Turkey and maintain a permanent presence in the country.
Senior members of Hamas have consistently met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the years. There have been reports indicating that Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh met with Erdogan in July, and it is rumored that Haniyeh was in Turkey during the October 7 attacks, rather than his usual residence in Qatar. Akif Cagatay Kilic, in his first English-language interview since the start of the war in Gaza, admitted that he was unsure if Haniyeh was in Turkey on October 7 but conceded that it was a possibility.
Kilic stood up for Turkey's enduring relationship with Hamas, a group that many nations label as a terrorist organization but is not considered as such by Turkey.
"The crucial matter is not the whereabouts of Hamas members at any given moment; rather, it is about finding a resolution to the current conflict and war that we are facing," he stated.
"We are addressing this issue in the context of recent events, but the truth is that in the past, the Israeli government had actually requested our engagement with Hamas over 10 years ago." Additionally, Kilic cautioned Israel against carrying out its threat to assassinate Hamas leaders outside of the country.
Kilic stated that any attempt by Israel to carry out an assassination on Turkish soil would not be tolerated under any circumstances. Turkish officials, who chose to remain anonymous, had previously cautioned Israel that there would be severe repercussions.
Since the beginning of the war, President Erdogan has been one of the most vocal leaders in the world. He has referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "the butcher of Gaza" and has stated that he will face international prosecution as a war criminal.
During Erdogan's two-decade tenure as president and previous role as prime minister, the diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Israel regarding Palestinian rights were prominent.
In a recent attempt to mend relations, Erdogan met with Netanyahu just over a week before the October 7 attack in an effort to improve ties.
Kilic was non-committal when asked if Turkey would also push for Hamas to be held accountable for the October 7 attack that caused the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. He emphasized that the killing of civilians on either side of the conflict is "unacceptable," but avoided directly addressing whether Hamas should face international court proceedings.
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi, Russia on Monday.
Sergei Guneyev/AFP/Pool/Getty Images
Putin and Erdogan have convened to negotiate a grain agreement as the power dynamics continue to change. "If we continue to debate the same issue, we will be stuck in a 56 or 57-year-old Palestinian occupation. As the Secretary-General of the United Nations pointed out, nothing occurs in isolation," Kilic remarked, alluding to Antonio Guterres' contentious remarks on the October 7 attacks.
Turkey's diplomatic and economic connections with Israel date back to 1949. Despite the ups and downs in diplomatic relations, economic ties have continued to endure over the years. Even though President Erdogan has recently called Israel a "terrorist state," Kilic notes that there are currently no discussions about implementing economic sanctions, but it is acknowledged that the relationship is strained.
In 2010, relations took a downturn when Israeli troops raided the Mavi Marmara, resulting in the deaths of nine Turks and an American. The ship was leading an aid flotilla to Gaza, which has been under blockade by Israel and Egypt since 2007.
The previous month, a coalition of Turkish and global non-governmental organizations revealed their intention to organize a fresh relief flotilla to Gaza, with plans to set sail towards the end of this year or the beginning of next year. There has been no confirmation from Ankara on whether they will permit ships to leave from a Turkish port. Kilic stated that currently, he cannot think of a reason to refuse, but a definitive decision will be made later on.
Ukraine and NATO
Turkey has established itself as a key intermediary in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has reached a virtual impasse as it approaches the two-year mark. Turkey played a significant part in the initial peace negotiations and was instrumental in securing a security agreement for vessels transporting Ukrainian grain to global markets - an agreement that has now lapsed.
Kilic acknowledges that Ukraine's western supporters are showing signs of fatigue, and Turkey is interested in helping to mediate peace. However, both sides need to be prepared for this.
"We haven't received a direct request from anyone to work towards a peace deal or something similar, but... we can sense that there is a feeling that the ongoing conflict has gone on for too long," he stated.
Erdogan has frequently emphasized his commitment to maintaining a "balanced" approach to the Ukraine war, maintaining relations with Putin even as the Russian president becomes increasingly isolated from the Western world.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Erdogan has positioned himself as a significant powerbroker, skillfully balancing between the two sides in what is commonly referred to as "pro-Ukrainian neutrality."
Recent indications that Sweden's long-awaited NATO bid would receive Turkish approval soon are now in doubt once again. The decision hinges on the approval of Turkey's parliament, which boasts the second-largest military in NATO.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄan met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. (Photo: Dimitris Papamitsos/AP)
Sweden is moving closer to NATO membership following Erdogan's submission of the accession protocol to the Turkish parliament. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan previously indicated that Sweden's bid would be approved by the end of the year. However, the head of the Foreign Affairs Committee in Ankara has recently stated that there is no rush to bring the bill forward for a vote.
President Erdogan stated his anticipation for the US congress to greenlight the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, coinciding with Sweden's NATO bid. However, the timeline for this approval remains uncertain.
Kilic declined to confirm if the F-16s were a strict requirement for Turkey but mentioned that it would greatly assist due to current resistance in parliament. Erdogan has consistently accused Sweden of sheltering militants from the banned Kurdistan Peoples Party (PKK).
He was asked if it could be completed this year, to which he responded, "In politics and the realm of international relations, there is always a potential to accomplish anything… It hinges on whether the requirements and demands of a NATO ally are fulfilled or not."
