Azerbaijan, Baku, May 23 / Trend A.Tagiyeva /
Turkey has always played an important role in the political processes taking place in the Middle East, Arab political analyst on the Middle East Husni Mahalli said. Given Ankara's current impact on the region, one can say with confidence that Turkey will convince Hamas to recognize Israel, he believes.
"Turkey has assumed the role of mediator in this issue and Ankara's success is doubtless," Mahalli told Trend over the telephone from Ankara.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul regards as a reasonable argument the impossibility for Israel to negotiate with the political organization not recognizing the country and is seeking from the Hamas leadership "a more rational policy", that is recognition of Israel. Gul stated about this in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday.
Gul said during a meeting with Hamas politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal in 2006 he stated that Hamas should be reasonable and recognize Israel's right to exist. Gul told the U.S. reporters that Hamas is obliged to declare recognition of Israel at the same time as Israel recognizes the Palestinian state.
Mahalli said Hamas is not so harsh in the issue of recognition of Israel, as the organization announced that it recognizes Palestine within the 1967 borders, which proves that the movement leaders are not so radical in this matter.
Regarding Turkey's mediation in resolving the Israel- Palestine conflict, Mahalli said Ankara is the better option, because before that it tried to resolve the Syria- Israel conflict.
"Ankara has almost resolved the Israel - Syria conflict, if Tel Aviv would not disrupt negotiations with the military operation in Gaza," he said.
Two years ago, Ankara acted as an international mediator in indirect talks between Israel and Syria. The talks ended in December 2008 after the Israeli army launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza.
In an interview with the Turkish television on Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Damascus is ready to resume negotiations with Israel with the Turkish mediation. However, Syria demands the guarantee of the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the Golan Heights occupied in 1967. Israel, in turn, insists on negotiations without preconditions, but also states that if Syria wants peace, it must distance itself from Iran and stop supporting the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah.
Ankara, in turn, confirms the desire to continue the mediation mission.
Mahalli said the task to convince Israel to accept a Palestinian state within 1967 borders is not a less difficult challenge for Turkey.
"It is most important for Ankara to persuade Israel to recognize Palestine, which is much more complicated. However, Turkey has already begun work in this direction," he added.