Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a key ally of President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, has proposed a seven-point initiative he called "Containment of Israel for Peace," aimed at securing stability in the Middle East.
"Neutralizing Israel within the framework of international law in the face of its aggressive policies threatening regional peace and security has become an urgent necessity that can no longer be postponed," Bahçeli said in a written statement today.
The proposal comes days after an Israeli airstrike on an abandoned military base in northwestern Syria, less than 100 kilometers from the Turkish border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and cabinet members said they were acting against what they described as Turkey's military expansion in Syria. Ankara has denied that its military personnel were present at Abu al-Duhur airbase before or during the strike.
"Whether it is a manifestation of its historic expansionism and disregard for the law, or an initiative aimed at the approaching elections [in Israel], what has been done is an unacceptable attack on law, peace and regional stability," Bahçeli said of the attack. "Turkey is not a country seeking conflict. At the same time, it is certainly not a country that will ignore threats directed at it, stand by as its sovereign rights are violated or leave its national security at the mercy of others."
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Bahçeli also contrasted Turkey's Kurdish peace process and efforts toward regional stability, with Israel's attacks on several countries in the region: "While Turkey is strengthening its internal front with the goal of a 'terror-free Turkey,' it regards the stability of its neighbors as an integral part of its own security. The Israeli government, on the other hand, is associated with crisis, conflict, and humanitarian devastation across a vast region stretching from Gaza to Lebanon and from Syria to Iran."
Seven-point plan
The nationalist leader proposed a seven-point plan to contain Israel:
- The "Mecca Agreement," a recently signed collective defense pact involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, should be expanded to include more members and transformed into a "Jerusalem Pact." The initiative would provide Muslim countries with a joint security and defense framework and eventually become an "Islamic Peace Force" covering countries and regions targeted by Israeli attacks.
- A temporary Middle East Peace Council comprising the US, Russia, China and the European Union should be established to rapidly restore stability in the region.
- A Middle East Security and Peace Conference should be convened under United Nations auspices and in close coordination with the proposed coalition or council. It would draw up a roadmap for establishing a lasting two-state peace in Palestine and bringing peace and stability to the Middle East.
- Turkey should issue an "Ankara Declaration" setting out the principles guiding its approach to regional security and placing peace and stability at its center. The declaration should also state that Turkey would not remain unresponsive to any possible hostile attack by Israel and would not be responsible for the consequences. It should further emphasize that Turkey, as a nation that welcomed Jewish people during difficult periods, feels "sorrow and concern" that the Israeli government has been "left in the hands of a murderer."
- Ceasefires without international monitoring mechanisms were unlikely to last, past conflicts showed. A neutral "International Ceasefire Monitoring Mission" should be established under the UN.
- Mediation efforts led by individual countries should be replaced by an institutionalized, multilateral structure to ensure continuity in diplomatic initiatives.
- A "Gradual Diplomatic Pressure and Incentive Mechanism" should be established as sanctions or diplomatic appeals alone had failed to produce lasting results.
(VK)
