The AKP-Israeli thaw

Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz
Dr. Ihsan Yilmaz


Date posted: December 31, 2015

A huge propaganda machine is working against the Hizmet movement, both in Turkey and across the world.

The Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been working with all sorts of allies to character-assassinate the movement. While in Turkey and in the Muslim world, the AKP portrays Hizmet as an Israeli servant and a CIA creation that wants to Christianize Turkey, in the English-language media, it is presented as radical Islamist movement that wants to see an Iranian-style coup in Turkey. For a brief summary of these two stark contrasts by the same people, just look at President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s son-in-law’s newspapers: Sabah (Turkish) and Daily Sabah (English), which constantly publish these fabricated and totally contradictory stories.

Nowadays, because the AKP government is trying to mend its relations with Israel because of the threat from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Western pressure, even in the Turkish versions of pro-AKP newspapers, you can read pro-Israel-AKP relations pieces. Naturally, many democrats in Turkey, including pro-Hizmet people like me, make fun of the AKP’s U-turns and point to their miserable zig-zags. Some observers who dislike the Hizmet movement never miss the opportunity to claim that Hizmet volunteers are not happy with the AKP-Israeli thaw. I cannot, of course, vouch for every volunteer of the Hizmet movement, which is a sociologically, ethnically and politically heterogeneous social entity. However, by looking at what pro-Hizmet writers, journalists, academics etc. have been saying on this issue, I can safely say that they have always advocated a critical Turkey-Israel engagement that would be helpful for peace in the region and for the Palestinians.

I will now summarize what I wrote here last week on the issue. And, I have been writing such pieces for the last a few years, ever since the Mavi Marmara incident. Mr. Fethullah Gülen was critical of the AKP leaders at the time and he argued that a peaceful and non-confrontational path had to be sought to send humanitarian aid to the Gazans. Ever since he has made such statements, he has been demonized by the AKP media. And let me underline that this started at a time when AKP-Hizmet relations were excellent, showing that Gülen and Hizmet were critical of the AKP well before the AKP’s attacks on the movement. Many so-called objective observers prefer not to see all this in their ostensibly unbiased analyses. Now, they claim that Hizmet volunteers (they prefer to use the term “Gülenists” to seem objective and Hizmet volunteers hate this term) are not happy about the thaw in Turkey and Israeli relations. That is a big lie. Here what I wrote here last week:

“Since the AKP has to rely on the West, despite its monstrous Islamist and anti-Western rhetoric at home, it has to normalize its relations with the West. This is also good news for the Palestinians for two major reasons. First, they will no longer be abused and manipulated by the AKP’s shallow, rhetorical support for Palestine for the sake of winning elections in Turkey. Second, I have always said Turkey’s critical engagement with Israel is good for the Palestinians (and coincidentally this was one of the reasons pro-AKP figures announced me a Mossad agent, in addition to being an MI6 agent!)”

“In 1948 the Jews, many of whom were exterminated in millions by the monster Nazis, established a homeland, a safe haven (Zion), for themselves. Muslim nationalists, Islamists, Arab nationalists etc., have to come to terms with the reality of Israel’s existence and acknowledging the Holocaust, rather than stupidly denying it, would help them a lot. They must pressure Israel for a two-state solution drawn with pre-1967 borders. Without understanding the agony that the Jews suffered for many centuries, the last being during the Holocaust, and without making sure that Israel has a right to exist, there will be no peace. And, if there is no peace, both secular Arab nationalists and Islamists will continue to exploit the situation for their corrupt benefits. Erdoğan and his AKP were barriers to the Israeli-Palestinian peace, and I hope they will no longer be stumbling blocks but facilitators.”

As I said, Today’s Zaman has published several pieces like this over the years and I have penned similar columns in my Turkish-language column in the Hizmet-affiliated daily newspaper Meydan. Yet, some so-called observers and journalists prefer not see this since it would harm their theories!

Source: Today's Zaman , December 30, 2015


Related News

Minister’s remarks on Gülen cause AK Party members to resign

“The reason we have decided to quit is the defamation campaign launched against the Hizmet movement and its moral leader, Gülen, after the Dec. 17 operation that has occupied the [country’s] agenda for the last month,” Kara said, adding that the ugly allegations and defamation campaign against Gülen have offended their consciences.

91-year-old philanthropist targeted in witch-hunt operation in Erzurum passes away

A 91-year-old man, Alaattin Öksüz, who came to public attention in February when police officers attempted to detain him as part of an operation targeting the faith-based Gülen movement, has died.

RELIABLE ENVIRONMENT : GULEN INSPIRED SCHOOLS

Gulen Inspired Schools provides an environment where they trust in a clear long-term gain. One of the main factors behind the success of these schools is commitment and dedications that have been presented by teachers and managers. One common characteristic of the staff is the commitment to the common goal to make a positive impact to the society.

The Turkey I no longer know

The Turkish population already is strongly polarized on the AKP regime. A Turkey under a dictatorial regime, providing haven to violent radicals and pushing its Kurdish citizens into desperation, would be a nightmare for Middle East security. I probably will not live to see Turkey become an exemplary democracy, but I pray that the downward authoritarian drift can be stopped before it is too late.

Fethullah Gulen’s stance on democracy 1994-2016

Mr. Gulen has reiterated his clear stance on democracy, in the wake of the coup attempt in Turkey. Here is what he had said back in June 1994: “I believe, from now on, both in Turkey and in the rest of the world, there will we no going back from democracy.”

ABA urges Obama to protest Turkey’s suppression of free speech

On September 1, the American Booksellers Association joined American publishers, authors, and librarians in a letter urging President Obama to protest the widespread suppression of free speech in Turkey during his September 4 meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan in China.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

In Case You Missed It

Recruiting based on ‘color lists’ breach of Constitution

Plot against Samanyolu media group detected

Fethullah Gülen’s initiatives for peace to be discussed in Rotterdam

Islamic scholar Gülen’s family criticizes PM’s offensive language

Bulgaria, the state sentenced to compensate Turkish journalist

Erdogan vows for genocide of Gulen sympathizers: “We will not give them the right to life!”

Turbulent times [in Turkey due to corruption probe]

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News