On both sides of the battle lines

This will be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's first visit to Germany since his re-election, but the trip will not be easy due to significant differences between Ankara and Berlin.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met during the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia on November 16, 2022. (Source: Reuters)

Türkiye has long been at odds with the West because Ankara believes that the US and many European countries support cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is believed to be behind the failed 2016 coup attempt to overthrow Erdogan.

Moreover, the main issue that both sides wanted to discuss in Berlin this time was the Israel-Hamas conflict, which highlighted the vast differences between Türkiye and Germany, described by the press as being "on opposite sides of the battlefield."

With regard to Germany, Berlin affirmed its position of "standing with Israel." German Chancellor Olaf Scholz supported Israel's "right to self-defense," declaring that it would provide support whenever necessary. In Germany's view, Hamas is a terrorist organization that must be stopped.

Meanwhile, Erdogan argues that the main culprits behind the ongoing massacres in Gaza are the West for supporting Israel's retaliation against Hamas, stating that the Israeli attacks "have exceeded the limits of self-defense." Unlike Germany, Turkey considers Hamas a political party that won the Palestinian elections.

However, the two sides also share some common ground. Erdogan is a leading supporter of Palestinian rights and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This is also Berlin's position.

More importantly, in a context where the mindset of gun violence prevails, both Erdogan and Scholz support a temporary ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to pave the way for humanitarian aid. Berlin also supports Ankara's mediating role in the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Hopefully, Erdogan's visit will not only "clarify many things" about Berlin's position but also help the two sides cooperate to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tho-nhi-ky-duc-ben-hai-bo-chien-tuyen-250230.html