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A new beginning for Turkey-Israel relations

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The reset of diplomatic ties between Turkey and Israel may result in some new paradigm shifts at the regional level besides helping both to focus more on bilateral economic gains.

Recently there have been indications both from Israel and Turkey that the leadership in those countries was mulling a reset in their bilateral ties.

In Israel’s case it was one more step in the direction of regional rapprochement, while for Turkey it is basically aimed at tackling and furthering its economic woes and regional interests.

The announcement by the two countries on August 17 that they’ll exchange ambassadors and normalise bilateral diplomatic relations, follows re-tuning of Turkish diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

It seems as if the Turkish leadership has realised that its priority should be to focus more on the internal and nearer home issues such as the country’s economic woes, Kurdish problem and its relations with Cyprus and Greece. Better regional ties will give it more time and energy to focus on tackling the country’s economic woes and expectations of the electorate.

The relations between the two countries soured in 2018 when Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador from Ankara, after the killing of 60 Palestinians in Gaza during protests against former US President Donald Trump’s decision to relocate the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

In fact, the Turkish support to the Palestinian groups, particularly the Hamas and its objection to the Israeli annexation of territories in and around the Gaza Strip has been the bone of contention between the two.

The thaw in ties comes after more than 10 years of tensions. A visit to Turkey by Israeli President Isaac Herzog in March, followed by visits of two countries’ foreign ministers, helped warm relations.

Turkey’s compulsions

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems to have realised the futility of Turkey’s hostile policies and stand against Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This stance has made Turkey isolated in the region besides being economically unviable for it.

One of the basic reasons for Turkiye’s animosity against other so-called Islamic countries is the contest for claiming the title of the Leader of the Islamic World. This has resulted in Turkiye blaming the successive Egyptian, Saudi Arabian and UAE governments as the main source of adopting postures against its claim to the Islamic world’s leadership and making it a pariah state in the region.

Historically it was Turkey, which maintained the Two Holiest Shrines of the Muslim world in Saudi Arabia, before oil was discovered in the Kingdom, which changed its fortunes forever. This newfound wealth led Saudi monarchs to lay claim to being the leader of the Islamic world.

Obviously Turkiye tried to resist this change but the fall of the Ottoman empire led it to modify its stand on several issues related to the Muslim Ummah. In addition Turkiye blamed these governments and their policies as responsible for heightening the regional stability for their own selfish interests. In return these states blamed Turkiye for adopting such postures and policies, which led to friction in the region and amongst so called Islamic states.

As retaliation these countries have bettered relations with both Cyprus and Greece, Turkey’s arch foes in the Mediterranean. While at the same time Turkey has improved ties with Qatar, a country which was made an outcast in the Gulf region in 2017 when UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain imposed an economic blockade against it.

In addition before facing the electorate next year, Erdogan has shaken hands with Israel in the hope that it may change Turkey’s economic condition with increased economic exchange with Israel, translating into improved economic climate for Turkish citizens.

Israel’s game plan

Recently, Israel has sought to reset its ties with regional countries both Arab and non-Arab. It considers Turkey to be an important factor both regionally and in Gaza also, as Hamas has opened up an office in Istanbul and for the last 10 years it has been operating from Turkey, in addition Israeli authorities feel that closer ties with Turkey will allow it to efficiently conduct intelligence monitoring of Iran.

In addition, Israel feels that if it wants to sell its natural gas to Europe, which was found near its coast in 2010, then the most economically viable route will be through Turkey. It could be a win-win situation for both if they are able to thrash out any future plan for cutting off Russian gas supply to Europe, both diplomatically and financially in the long run.

During the hostile period with Turkey, Israel had come closer to both, Cyprus and Greece. This resulted in increased economic, security and people to people contacts between them. Both countries enjoyed influx of Israeli tourists, who abandoned the Turkey’s coasts. Israel also initiated military cooperation with them and has also been training Greek and Cypriot military forces.

Now Israel will have to balance the geostrategic and potential economic benefits of cooperation with Turkey with Jerusalem’s well-developed ties with Athens and Nicosia. Israeli President Herzog, who played a key role in the Israel-Turkey rapprochement, has given assurances to both Cyprus and Greece that Israel’s new found friendship with Turkey will have no bearing on its existing relationship with Cyprus and Greece.

All in all, one can presume that the present situation points to a scenario where diplomatic, political and security ties may remain cold, as the real target for both the countries is to give a boost to their economic ties. Israel is also aware that Turkey may continue to play the Palestinian card to placate its internal audience.

Over all this odd marriage of convenience might be able to counter other regional alliances and axis’s of power, and both would try to maximise their returns either independently or bilaterally, based on the given situation.

International News

‘India and Saudi Arabia united by shared resolve to combat terrorism’

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Riyadh, May 29: The Indian all-party Parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Jay Panda on Thursday shared India’s firm resolve towards terrorism with a zero-tolerance approach and the ‘new normal policy’ in light of Operation Sindoor during a visit to Gulf Research Centre, a prominent think-tank in Saudi Arabia recognised for its expertise in global affairs.

The delegation, welcomed by Chairman Abdulaziz Sager, held a frank and productive exchange of views. The discussions also focused on a strong India-Saudi Arabia partnership across all domains, including security and defense cooperation.

“India-Saudi Arabia continue to deepen ties across security, defence and global affairs, united by a shared resolve to combat terrorism. Our all-party delegation had a candid and insightful exchange at Gulf Research Centre with Chairman Abdulaziz Sager sharing India’s zero-tolerance and new normal approach post-Operation Sindoor and exploring ways to strengthen the India-Saudi partnership,” Panda posted on X.

Later, the delegation held interactions with President Abdulmajeed Albanyan of Naif Arab University for Security Sciences in Riyadh, sharing strong concerns about cross-border terrorism and India’s position of zero tolerance against terrorism.

“Strengthening security ties and advancing counter-terrorism cooperation, the India-Saudi partnership continues to deepen. Along with our all-party delegation colleagues, we visited Naif Arab University for Security Sciences and had a meaningful exchange with President Abdulmajeed bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan, discussing India’s firm zero-tolerance approach to cross-border terrorism and shared opportunities in security education and research,” Panda posted on X.

Earlier, the delegates also interacted with the Saudi Civil Society, including distinguished guests from the government, think-tanks, business, and media. They shared India’s resolute stance on terrorism, Operation Sindoor, and India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership.

The delegation led by Panda also includes BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP Phangnon Konyak, BJP MP Rekha Sharma, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi, BJP MP Satnam Singh Sandhu, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and former Indian diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla.

Satnam Singh Sandhu highlighted that India and Saudi Arabia stand united in enhancing the bilateral ties and promoting a secure and peaceful environment in the region.

“Led by Baijayant Jay Panda, our All-Party Delegation representing India in Saudi Arabia engaged with key voices from the Saudi government, civil society, think-tanks, business and media. We conveyed India’s firm stance against terrorism and shared insights on Operation Sindoor, a proud symbol of India’s global humanitarian leadership. India and Saudi Arabia stand united in strengthening bilateral relations and ensuring peace, security, and prosperity in the region,” Sandhu posted on X.

The delegation on Wednesday had an extensive discussion with Adel Bin Ahmed al-Jubeir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi highlighting what Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in his speech earlier this month – that “this is certainly not the era of war but this is also not the era of terrorism”. The delegates reiterated India’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism and appreciated the support received from political leadership in Saudi Arabia in condemning the April 22 Pahlagam terrorist attack.

They underlined the importance of coordinated action against terrorism, dismantling terrorist infrastructure, denying safe havens, financing and political justification to terrorist entities, highlighting the “new normal” in India’s approach to terrorism.

“The delegation held a meeting with Mishaal Al-Sulami, Deputy Speaker of Shura Council. The Indian delegation expressed deep gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation of the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam. It conveyed that India stands firm and united in its resolve to fight terrorism. Acts of terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstances or reasons. Chairman of the Saudi-India Parliamentary Friendship Committee of the Shura Council, Abdulrahman Snitan A. Alharbi and senior Members of the Committee hosted the delegation for lunch,” the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in a statement.

“The delegation also met Mushabab bin Ayed Al-Qahtani, Director General of Prince Saud Al-Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies and held discussions which focused on India’s approach to countering terror. In all the meetings, the Indian delegation underlined that India has received unwavering support from Saudi Arabia on issues related to counter-terrorism. Both countries will continue to work together in their efforts towards de-radicalization and curbing extremism,” the statement added

Furthermore, the Indian Embassy hosted a dinner interaction with the participation of distinguished personalities from Saudi civil society, which gave an opportunity for further discussions on countering terrorism as well as broader topics related to India-Saudi bilateral partnership.

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International News

Indonesia committed to boost global Islamic cooperation for harmony: Dy Speaker Soeparno

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Jakarta, May 29: Indonesia’s People’s Consultative Assembly’s (MPR) Deputy Speaker and National Mandate Party (PAN) Vice Chairman, Eddy Soeparno, on Thursday, emphasised Indonesia’s commitment to strengthening global cooperation among Islamic countries to promote harmony with the wider international community.

His remarks came following an interaction between an Indian all-party parliamentary delegation, led by Janata Dal-United MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, and Indonesian scholars and researchers from leading think tanks and academic institutions.

Speaking to Media, Soeparno said: “We had a very constructive discussion with the Indian MPs. We talked about a range of topics, especially concerning the prevention and fight against terrorism. There was also a strong emphasis on deepening cooperation between India and Indonesia in tackling terrorist activities.”

He added that India had conveyed its expectation for Indonesia’s support within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to raise concerns about preventing future terrorist attacks.

“Indonesia is committed to global peace, fostering cooperation, and promoting harmony among countries. We will do our best to enhance global cooperation among Islamic nations and help create harmony with the broader global community,” Soeparno affirmed.

Meanwhile, the Indian delegation highlighted India’s firm stance against terrorism and called for collaborative efforts to counter the threat. During the interaction, the delegation made it clear that India would no longer differentiate between terrorists and the countries that support or harbour them.

The all-party team conveyed India’s zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism and sought Indonesia’s support in jointly exploring effective strategies to combat the menace, thereby ensuring peace and regional stability.

Addressing the gathering, Jha expressed gratitude to the Indonesian government and President Prabowo Subianto for condemning the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and for standing in solidarity with the people of India. He stressed that such acts of terror are unjustifiable and must be condemned universally.

“We are engaging with a prominent think tank and academia today, both of which play a crucial role in shaping counter-terrorism policies. The aim of this interaction is to convey India’s perspective and strategy to deal with terrorism, particularly the kind that originates from across the border in Pakistan.”

Highlighting India’s unwavering stance, Jha stated: “India will not accept any nuclear blackmail. Those who shelter and promote terrorists cannot hide behind a so-called nuclear umbrella. Any further terror attacks on Indian soil will be met with decisive military responses.”

He added that India, along with countries like Indonesia, firmly stands for zero tolerance toward terrorism.

“To implement this principle, India will no longer make any distinction between terrorist groups and the states that provide them safe haven,” he said.

The delegation also includes BJP MPs Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lal, Hemang Joshi, and Pradan Baruah, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, CPI-M Rajya Sabha member John Brittas, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and former Indian Ambassador to France Mohan Kumar.

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North Korea says ‘serious accident’ occurred during ceremony to launch new destroyer

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Seoul, May 22: North Korea said Thursday a “serious accident” occurred the previous day during a ceremony to launch a new warship, with its leader Kim Jong-un calling it a “criminal act” that could not be tolerated.

The accident took place Wednesday at a shipyard in the eastern port city of Chongjin during a ceremony to launch a newly built 5,000-tonne destroyer, attended by the North’s leader, according to the Media.

Citing “inexperience command and operational carelessness” in the course of the launch, North Korea said a “serious accident” occurred as the launch slide of the stern departed first and was stranded while the flatcar failed to move in parallel.

Some sections of the warship’s bottom were “crushed,” destroying the balance of the warship, and the bow couldn’t leave the shipway, it reported.

After watching the whole course of the accident, Kim said, “It was a serious accident and criminal act caused by absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility and could not be tolerated,” according to the Media.

He ordered the restoration of the warship to be “completed unconditionally” before a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) set for June and gave an important instruction related to an investigation into the accident.

“The immediate restoration of the destroyer is not merely a practical issue but a political issue directly related to the authority of the state,” Kim said.

The political bureau of the WPK decided to convene the 12th plenary meeting of the party’s central committee in late June to review the first-half performance and policies for the second half, the Media said in a separate dispatch.

The North did not disclose photos related to the latest accident.

Considering that Kim called for the restoration to take place before the June party meeting, a unification ministry official said the scope of the damage is likely not large and appears to be recoverable.

“By using the expression ‘absolute carelessness,’ (Kim) could have aimed at shoring up internal discipline through a stern reprimand,” the official said, noting the accident was reported on the front page of the North’s main Media, the Rodong Sinmun.

South Korea’s military said the North appears to have failed in using a side launching technique.

“South Korea and US intelligence authorities had been tracking and monitoring the movement of a large-sized warship at the North’s Chongjin port,” Col. Lee Sung-jun, spokesperson for the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), told a regular Media.

“We assess (the warship’s) side launching failed,” Lee said, adding the destroyer remains partially capsized on the sea.

The latest accident came as the North has been ramping up efforts to modernise its naval capabilities, conducting a firing test on a newly built 5,000-tonne destroyer just days after its launch, Media reported.

Last month, North Korea unveiled the new multipurpose destroyer, named the Choe Hyon. It said the warship is equipped with supersonic strategic cruise missiles, tactical ballistic missiles and other strike means.

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