Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 5 /corr. Trend B.Hasanov / Based on the historical past, Turkey's authority in the Middle East promotes Ankara's posibility to ensure peace between Israel and Palestine.
" Turkey's ponderability amongst the countries of the Middle East throughout the history stipulates that Ankara is the most real power capable to ensure peace in the region," Syrian expert Husnu Mahalli told Trend on Jan. 5.
Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babajan highlighted the importance of necessary efforts of the international community to ensure peace in the Gaza Strip. Babajan made this statement at the news conference held with his Syrian counterpart Walid Muallem who is on visit to Turkey.
Turkey displays activity in solving the problems of the Middle East over the last years. Turkey made a number of important initiatives to restore peace and cease of Israel's military operations in Gaza started on Dec. 27.
On Jan. 3, an extraordinary meeting of the foreign ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) member states was held on the initiative of Turkey's Foreign Minister Ali Babajan in the first days of the military operations. Furthermore, the Prime Minister Rajab Tayyip Erdogan visited Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2 to settle the conflict in Gaza.
Finally, at the initiative of Turkish Parliament's chairman Koksal Toptan, a decision was made to hold a meeting of the Executive Committee of the OIC Parliamentary Assembly on Jan. 14 in Istanbul to discuss the events in Gaza.
Turkish expert Bulent Aras said that when there were few peace initiatives in the Middle East as compared to the last years, Turkey's mediation efforts filled deep emptiness.
Expert said that the initiative of Turkey's mediation in nearest future will promote countries of the region to express their protest against Israel in a more organized form, diplomatically and to prepare proper base for ensuring ceasefire regime.
"The mediation of Turkey, which attempts to enlist the support of the Middle East countries, is an important factor to ensure peace in the region," Ishik Araz, professor on international relations of Istanbul University, told Trend from Istanbul on Jan.5.
Saying that the Arabian countries are unable to actively intervene in the events in Gaza, Mahalli mentioned the importance of Turkey's mediation for achieving peace in the Middle East. Mahalli said that no one in the region will seriously accept the Arabian countries, majority of which quarrel with each other at the hand of the United States. Therefore, Turkey is the only country which can help unite all countries of the region under the common denominator. However, the expert thinks that despite the serious initiatives of Turkey, Israel is unlikely expected to take positive steps towards peace.
Mahalli said that Turkey's dependence on the Jewish lobby in the issue of so-called "Armenian genocide" is the reason why Ankara can not have considerable influence on Tel Aviv and therefore, Turkey can not make a wishful contribution in the process of achieving peace in the Middle East. Furthermore, Mihalli considers that even if the relations between Turkey and Israel continue, they will not be as good as previous. Israeli expert of the Strategic Survey Center Ephraim Inbar considers that Turkey is one of the closest allies of Israel and there is no danger for the further relations of the two countries. " Turkey's criticism towards Israel has a compelled character for Ankara, since Turkey is a Muslim country and an active member of the Organization of the Islamic Conference and therefore, it is compelled to criticize Israel," Inbar told Trend .
Turkey continues its attempts to ensure peace in Gaza. The Foreign Minister Ali Babajan said that currently he holds meetings with the countries of the region and works on various proposals to prepare an overall peace plan.