Analysis: Turkey takes pragmatic approach, seeks to undo isolation, gain influence

Turkey’s aggressive Islamist- oriented foreign policy has led to a loss of influence in the region, as its opponents keep it in check.

After opposing Israel so strongly in the past, Erdogan is in an uncomfortable situation.

But because of the wars raging in Syria, Iraq, and the domestic Kurdish insurgency, as well as its terrible relations with Russia and many of its Middle Eastern neighbors, he felt something had to give.

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Dr. Aykan Erdemir, a member of the Turkish parliament from 2011 to 2015 and a senior fellow at the Washington- based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told the Post that Turkey’s pro-government media have covered the Israeli deal widely, presenting it as a victory for Turkey.

“The deal with Israel is only the first step of the reset in Turkish foreign policy.

Pro-government commentators have been highlighting the deal’s positive spillover effects into relations with Egpyt, Russia, and the US,” he said.

“The few remaining opposition outlets, meanwhile, portrayed the deal as Erdogan caving in and backing from his full list of demands,” he noted.

“Erdogan, however, is confident that his overwhelming control of the Turkish media will allow him to spin this deal as an unequivocal win for Turkey,” he added.

Ironically, argued Erdemir, the relative absence of independent media in Turkey allowed Ankara to finalize the deal unhindered.

“Ankara increasingly sees itself isolated and vulnerable, and hopes that the deal with Israel can be a significant step in breaking from what it used to cherish as ‘precious loneliness.’” Erdogan also hopes that this deal could improve his global image, with one pro-government commentator stating that “the deal will force all Erdogan critics around the world to reconsider him.”

The deal could have a positive impact on Turkey’s reception, but “I don’t think that Erdogan’s tarnished reputation is salvageable,” argued the former Turkish lawmaker.

Moreover, continued Erdemir, “both the Turkish proponents and opponents of the Turkish-Israeli rapprochement comment on the deal by using a strikingly anti-Semitic and hostile rhetoric.”

“Ironically, the so-called rapprochement turned out to be a national reaffirmation of the Turkish public’s dislike of Israel. This is yet another proof that 13-years of Erdogan rule and anti-Semitic vitriol have poisoned Turkish policy debate,” he said.

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