Palestinian reactions to Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkey

 Palestinian reactions to Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkey

Published: 17/03/2022

On March 9, 2022, as part of the thawing of diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel, Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid a state visit to Turkey, the first such visit in 14 years. A formal reception was held for him in the presidential palace in Ankara and he met with President Erdogan. The visit and reception were widely covered by the Palestinian media. In the Palestinian Authority (PA) it was thought that a rapprochement between the two countries could help the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

However, both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) criticized the visit and reception. Hamas was relatively cautious and said in an announcement that it was “following with concern” the visits of Israeli leaders to Arab and Muslim countries, which were the Palestinian people’s “strategic depth.” Hamas did not use the word “condemn” in its announcement or mention Turkey by name. PIJ spokesmen harshly condemned the visit and called Turkey’s attempt to rebuild relations with Israel “a betrayal of the Palestinians.”

Hamas’ response was motivated principally by its many interests in Turkey and the fear, which was not publicly stated, that through ties between Israel and Turkey Hamas could lose its assets. It could also lose the freedom of action its operatives have enjoyed for the past decade, especially since they were exiled to Turkey after the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal, turning it into one of Hamas’ main overseas bases for operations. In recent years Hamas terrorist operatives have lived in Turkey from which they direct terrorist activities in Judea and Samaria. The country also serves as a base for transferring funds to terrorist operatives in Judea and Samaria and to Hamas headquarters in the Gaza Strip.

Palestinian Reactions

The Palestinian Authority (PA)

The PA did not particularly relate to the visit. Senior PA figures, and Wafa, its official news agency, did not relate to it at all. The Facebook page of its official newspaper, al-Hayat al-Jadeeda, posted mainly protest demonstrations held in Istanbul during the visit (al-Hayat al-Jadeeda Facebook page, March 9, 2022). 

The Facebook page of Wafa, which is directly subordinate to Mahmoud Abbas’ office, did not relate to the visit at all.

From al-Hayat al-Jadeeda's Facebook page, March 9, 2022 pictures from President Herzog's visit to Turkey with an emphasis on the mass protest in the center of Istanbul.

From al-Hayat al-Jadeeda‘s Facebook page, March 9, 2022 pictures from President Herzog’s visit to Turkey with an emphasis on the mass protest in the center of Istanbul.

The only senior PA figure who did relate was Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki. Interviewed by CNN Turk on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, he said the Palestinians were not worried by a rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. Such an event would serve the interests of the Palestinian cause because it would give Turkey power which at some time in the future could be used at a Palestinian-Israeli negotiating table. He also said that if Turkey offered to mediate between the sides, the Palestinians would accept the offer. He claimed the Turkish foreign minister told him that a development in Israeli-Turkish relations would not come at the expense of the Palestinians (CNN, March 12, 2022).

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki interviewed by CNN Turkey (CNN Turkey website, March 10, 2022).P

alestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki interviewed by CNN Turkey (CNN Turkey website, March 10, 2022).

Hamas

Hamas published a statement of concern and sorrow at visits by senior Israeli officials to Arab and Muslim countries (Herzog’s visit to Turkey overlapped that of Chief of Staff General Aviv Kochavi’s to Bahrain and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s to Jordan), and expressed objection to the visits. Hamas was careful not to use terms like “condemnation” and did not mention Turkey by name. “Sources” in Hamas’ political bureau were quick to declare that the movement’s relations with Turkey were excellent, as usual. The sources also claimed there were no Hamas “military” operatives in Turkey and that any report to the contrary was a “fabrication.” According to Hamas, only a political legation represented the movement in Turkey (al-Ra’i al-Yawm, March 12, 2022).

The Hamas-affiliated al-Risalah and Shehab Twitter accounts gave extensive coverage to the visit and the reception held for President Herzog. They stressed the seriousness of the matter, calling normalization of relations with Israel “treason.” They also gave extensive coverage to the demonstrations held protesting the visit, with pictures of demonstrators holding signs depicting swastikas inside Stars of David, and signs reading “Herzog is a terrorist,” and “Zionist murderer” (al-Risalah Twitter account, March 9, 2022). Pictures were also published of the presidents’ wives at the opening of an exhibition in Ankara (Shehab Twitter account, March 10, 2022).

Hamas’ al-Risalah website also published op-ed pieces by Palestinian political commentators who expressed concern over an Israeli-Turkish rapprochement:

Salim al-Sharfa condemned President Herzog’s visit to Turkey and the reception held for him. According to al-Sharfa, the visit was a stab in the back of the Palestinians and a continuation of the wave of normalization in relationships between Israel and Arab states. He also accused the PA leadership of its ongoing security coordination with Israel and meetings with senior Israeli officials (alresala.net, March 11, 2022).

Amin Barakeh also condemned the visit on the grounds that it was intended to serve the interests of Israel, which wanted to destroy Arab-Muslim states and their culture, and sow seeds of dissension between them [sic]. He claimed that if Turkey thought Israeli investors would pour money into the country, it was living in a world of fantasy (alresala.net, March 12, 2022).

Isma’il al-Thawabata, director of the Hamas-affiliated al-Ra’i media network, said a reception held by the president of Turkey for the president of the “Zionist entity” was strange, offensive and incomprehensible, it marked the beginning of the normalization of relations [between the two states], which was treason. He claimed he was certain that millions of Turks objected to the reception. He also quoted a question asked years ago of Ahmed Yassin, Hamas founder and leader in the Gaza Strip: could the Palestinians normalize relations with the enemy in a situation where it would be impossible to “resist” and “struggle” against it. And Yassin said, “No. You can’t marry whore” (Isma’il al-Thawabata’s Twitter account, March 9, 2022).

Right: Formal reception in Ankara held for President Herzog by President Erdogan (Shehab Twitter account, March 9, 2022). Left: Herzog meets with Erdogan, and a quote from the Turkish president which reads, "An improvement in Turkish-Israeli relations is very important for regional stability and peace" (al-Risalah Twitter account, March 9, 2022).