by Dr. Mustafa Öztop
In the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza, it was once again seen that the current international system is inadequate and unable to produce solutions. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been martyred by Israel and the international community has failed to adopt a concrete and effective decision for a ceasefire in the region against Israel’s inhumane practices. The United Nations (UN), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the European Union (EU) have remained inactive against Israel’s war crimes, massacres and lawlessness despite dozens of meetings and ceasefire votes. This is because the US, which dominates the current system, turns a blind eye to Israel’s war crimes. Even though Israel’s growing criminal file increases the pressure on the US, it is no longer meaningful to expect the Biden administration, which has not taken any steps despite all the massacres and destruction, to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and stop Israel. In this respect, it has become a necessity to look for initiatives outside the existing system to stop Israel.
THE SECURITY UMBRELLA HAS STARTED TO LEAK WATER
Israel has committed many crimes against humanity since 1947. Before October 7, the perception of Israel in the world was a shield of protection for Israel despite all these crimes. The actors who steered the current international system from a power perspective used this perception to create a security umbrella for Israel. But today, the perception of Israel in the world has changed dramatically. And people have raised their voices against the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza. At the same time, the growing public outcry against Israel around the world is putting the governments that support Israel in a difficult position. And the security umbrella protecting Israel started to leak water.
THE REALPOLITIK GROUNDWORK
The trial of Israel in the International Court of Justice for genocide in a case brought by South Africa, Turkey’s complete suspension of trade with Israel, Colombia, and Bolivia’s severing of diplomatic relations with Israel, and European countries such as Norway, Spain and Ireland’s declaration of their recognition of the State of Palestine have been the leading reactions against Israel at the level of countries around the world. In other words, the reactions against Israel, which were mostly formed at the social level, have risen to the level of states in the dimensions of justice, trade, and politics. In a way, this was recorded as the initiatives taken by states within their own means against the inaction of the existing international community. All these developments have established the real political (foreign policy approach in which actors emphasize the achievement of their interests based on power and security prioritization without taking into account legal and moral constraints) environment necessary to stop Israel. Thus, there has never been a more favorable ground in realpolitik to stop Israel’s barbaric practices, which have become a humanitarian and conscientious necessity.
THE PROCESS OF ISLAMIC SOLIDARITY
The Islamic Union, which was opened to discussion at the end of the 1800s, turned into a search after the abolition of the Caliphate in 1924. If we express this search as the “Islamic Solidarity Process”, the situation that emerged when viewed from today is obvious. The understanding that “Not every seeker can find, but those who find are the seekers” has clearly manifested itself in this process. From the 1930s until the end of the 1960s, Muslim countries held dozens of meetings and calls. This search could only produce a concrete and noteworthy result in the summit call made after the arson of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by a Jew in 1969. This result was the Organization of the Islamic Conference, now known as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Of course, it would not be enough to explain this result with a hot development that increased tensions in the region. In those years, there was a shift in the balance of power in the Middle East and the difficulties faced by the US in the world came to the fore. The OPEC cartel, led by the oil-rich countries in the region, was established, the US suffered a fiasco in Vietnam, the Bretton Woods System collapsed, Britain withdrew from the Persian Gulf in 1971 and an oil embargo was imposed in 1973 against the countries supporting Israel. In other words, as the balance of power in the region shifted, countries in the region increased their visibility, many countries declared independence and a rupture occurred in regional politics. This political rupture and the hot developments in Al-Aqsa Mosque led to the establishment of the OIC.
NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME
Similarly, today we are in a period of change in world political balances. Especially after the pandemic in 2020, world politics has entered a clear change. The US hegemony in the world is eroding and the Western paradigm of influence in the world is weakening. In this context, the rise of Asia and Westnessless are being discussed. Foreign Policy magazine writes that the future of geopolitical balances in the world will be determined by 6 swing (indecisive) states. These countries are Türkiye, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, India, Brazil and South Africa. 3 of the 6 countries are Muslim countries.
The Guardian wrote that the competition in the world is now much less bilateral and that a political balance influenced by non-aligned countries is taking shape. He drew attention to Russia, India, Turkey, Japan and Saudi Arabia. In other words, the importance of Muslim countries in the future of world politics is recognized worldwide.
Today, the capacities of Muslim countries have increased significantly compared to the past. Oil and natural gas-rich Arab countries, Turkey, which is prominent in the defense industry and in determining the political balances in its region, Pakistan, which has nuclear weapons, and Malaysia, which is known for its technological development, are the prominent indicators of this increase in capacity. In short, the change in world politics, the increase in the capacities of the countries in the region and the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza show that the conditions are ripe to produce a new result in the Islamic Solidarity process.
THE NEED FOR UNITY IS AT ITS PEAK
In Europe, especially in Sweden, attacks and disrespect against our holy book, the Quran, are at an all-time high. China’s oppression of Muslims in East Turkistan continues. Anti-Islamism and Islamophobia are on the rise worldwide. Palestinians, on the other hand, are showing a resistance that cuts this increase like a knife. Hamas’ stance that distinguishes innocents and civilians from soldiers is a sign of this. Of course, the fact that support for Palestine is becoming more visible in the world between Israel and Palestine is also a reflection of this.
In addition, Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Palestine are the elements that bring Muslims together at the community level. Muslims have experienced divisions in every period of history. However, the more they can move away from these divisions, the more they have been able to protect their rights and interests. In this respect, the increasing anti-Islamism in the world and the events in Palestine bring the need for solidarity among Muslims to its peak. On the other hand, the biggest dilemma of Muslim countries is their inability to act in unity. In this sense, some Gulf and Arab countries, as well as Iran, take a position on Palestine that differs from the general Muslim position. However, the expectations and reactions of Muslim societies through the aforementioned developments force their governments to take more concrete steps on Palestine.
How, the meetings and calls that began after 1924 produced a concrete and significant result in 1969. Like yesterday, today the OIC, which has not been active at the desired level after 1969 even though it has made some progress on many issues, must become more active on Palestine, which is the reason for its establishment. If this is not possible, countries with a high potential to act together, which do not reflect their rivalries and disagreements on the Palestinian issue, can lead Muslim countries and start a new era both on Gaza and on Muslims becoming more active in world politics.
COMMON VISION, FASTER AND MORE CONCRETE ACTION
The legal, commercial and political initiatives taken by South Africa, Turkey, Bolivia and Colombia will make it possible to stop Israel if they are implemented in an organized and united manner in the coming period. In this way, the obstructions of Israel’s protectors will be overcome in the usual way. Muslim countries can lead this process. In particular, countries with similar perspectives, common threats and goals, no existential problems and historical rivalries, little or almost no disagreements, high ability to act quickly, high representation power with social support, and the same position on Palestine are more likely to be the locomotive of this process. Because especially in recent years, organizations with a large number of members have serious difficulties in making fast, joint and effective decisions. The EU is trying to solve this problem. The UN needs reform. Similarly, the OIC cannot take fast and effective decisions. The high number of members is not only a sign of power, but also causes a cumbersomeness that makes it difficult to take quick and effective decisions. What has happened so far has shown that it is not possible for 57 Islamic countries to come together and act in unison against Israel. Some countries are pro-Israel, others are weak or poor. Only those Islamic countries that are not pro-Israel and have reached a certain capacity can come together and act jointly. The unity of some parts, if not the whole, is enough to start a new process and will attract attention. In this sense, countries such as Turkey, Malaysia, Qatar, Pakistan, Indonesia and Algeria stand out as countries with these characteristics.
SANCTION SCENARIO AGAINST ISRAEL
If the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim, calls for a summit in Istanbul to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and stop Israel, and Turkey responds with a “Declaration of States Supporting Palestine” with a “Concrete Action Plan to Stop Israel”, this process will constitute an important ground for a ceasefire in Gaza. In this context, in the face of such a call and summit, the OIC member states are obliged to fulfill the responsibilities that their nations, history, culture and, of course, Islam impose on them and support this process. Otherwise, they will have to answer to their people. As an intermediate consequence, either the OIC will become more active in achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and stopping Israel, or a new organization among Islamic countries will respond to expectations and needs.
On the other hand, other countries that take a humanitarian view of the issue and raise their voices against Israel’s massacres are invited to this summit. Countries such as South Africa, Bolivia, Colombia, Spain and Ireland are likely to participate in this summit. The possible summit has the potential to bring together at least 15 countries in the first phase. If these countries initiate such a process, the number of countries will soon increase. This summit will make the worldwide reactions against Israel more organized. It would also accelerate the reform of the current international system or open the debate on the creation of a new community of nations. The important thing is to create a structure that can take quick, fair, concrete and effective decisions on problems. There has never been a better time and place for this than today.
THE PLAN TO STOP ISRAEL
Article one: Israel must immediately stop the attacks, completely evacuate Gaza, the Netanyahu government must resign, and Israel must come to the table for a two-state solution,
Article second: If Israel fails to fulfill Article 1, the summit participants that have not yet severed relations with Israel will completely sever diplomatic relations within 48 hours,
Article third: In the event that Article 1 has not yet been realized, the countries participating in the summit will cease all trade with Israel within 24 hours,
Article Fourth: If Article 1 is still not implemented, military options and the creation of a peacekeeping force should be declared open for discussion.
It is impossible for Israel to resist these steps. Even the convening of the summit could be enough to stop Israel. In particular, if countries cut diplomatic relations with Israel, it would be a challenging enough situation for Israel. Cutting off trade would leave Israel breathless. In short, such a process is real politically possible under the current circumstances. This process would not only stop Israel’s genocide in Palestine, but would also mobilize dynamics that would usher in a new era in the world. Moreover, the majority of other Muslim and non-Muslim countries will not remain insensitive to such an initiative. It is also important that Christian and Muslim clerics come together to respond to Israel’s theopolitically-motivated massacres. In addition, the united action of NGOs and universities around the world that react against Israel can also be included in the plan to stop Israel.
This article was published in Yeni Şafak Newspaper on 25.05.2024.
