The intra-Turkish debate on the Mavi Marmara

Mustafa Akyol
Mustafa Akyol


Date posted: October 3, 2011

Mustafa Akyol

If there is any “national” opinion in Turkey today, it is that Israel should have apologized for killing nine civilian Turks on the Mavi Marmara. From Islamists to secularists, or nationalists to liberals, I have heard nobody who thinks that the Israeli soldiers were justified in what they did on that Gaza-bound civilian ship. Nor has anybody, to my knowledge, applauded the “no apology” decision of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

But this does not mean that all Turks think the same way about the Turkish activists on the Mavi Marmara, and the particular course of action some of them took. In fact, an interesting debate has just begun – and within a very interesting place: the Islamic camp.

In fact, the discussion had begun much earlier, right after the Mavi Marmara incident, when the most influential Islamic leader in Turkey, Fethullah Gülen, who has lived in the United States since 1998, gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal. Among other things, Gülen said that the organizers of the Gaza Flotilla should have sought an accord with Israel before attempting to deliver aid. “Defying authority,” he explained, “will not lead to fruitful matters.”

But this unexpected view of Gülen, as significant as it was, remained limited to the “Gülen Movement,” which considers him a spiritual guide. The broader Islamic camp remained strongly in favor of the activism of the Mavi Marmara, without any restraint.

Last week, however, a new discussion began with a column by Yıldıray Oğur in daily Taraf. Taraf is a passionately anti-militarist paper whose writers are “radical democrats” from various walks of life, ranging from former Marxists to liberal-minded Muslims. Mr. Oğur, who fits the latter description, has prestige within the conservative pro-Justice and Development Party, or AKP, camp, thanks not only to his solidly anti-Kemalist columns, but also his leadership in the “Young Civilians” movement. (The movement is a pun on, and an answer to, the “Young Officers,” which has been a euphemism for coup-craving soldiers within the Turkish military.)

In his piece dated Sep. 8 and titled “Self-Criticism Commission Report,” Oğur first explained that he supported the whole aim of the Mavi Marmara mission, considered its victims as “martyrs,” and condemned the Israeli military for executing them. But this, he argued, should not be the end of the debate. Turks should also question, he said, why some of the activists on the ship, instead of sticking to nonviolent disobedience, decided to resist Israeli commandos violently with iron bars. We Turks, Oğur argued, should see this, and be “more honest to reality.”

In the next few days, various writers in the Islamic camp criticized Oğur, some of them quite harshly, accusing him of blurring the black-and-white nature of a very justified cause. On Twitter, some even suggested that he should begin to write for the Jerusalem Post rather than the Turkish press.

To deepen the discussion, I invited Oğur to my weekly TV show, “Political Reason,” on TGRT News, a conservative national channel. For more than 90 minutes, we expanded on his criticism on the lack of a fully nonviolent response to Israeli aggression on the Mavi Marmara. On the one hand, the activists were justified in protecting their ship from piracy in international waters. But, on the other hand, it would have been much better if they decided to remain absolutely nonviolent, as the activists on the other ships of the Gaza flotilla did.

Similarly, Oğur and I agreed, Palestinians have the right to resist Israel militarily. But it would be wiser, and morally more commendable, if they chose to resist in the way that Mahatma Gandhi stood against the British. Many viewers agreed via Tweets and emails.

This debate is likely to go on, and will hopefully bring some more nuances to the Turkish position on Mavi Marmara. If the same thing happens among Israelis, too, then, perhaps, a political “tikkun” between Turkey and Israel might become more possible than it seems.

* For all of Mustafa Akyol’s works, including his recent book, ‘Islam without Extremes: A Muslim Case for Liberty,’ visit his blog, TheWhitePath.com. On Twitter, follow him at @AkyolinEnglish.

Source: Hurriyet Daily News , September 13, 2011


Related News

Turkish Cultural Center In Greenburgh Collects Coats, Blankets For Refugees

The Turkish Cultural Center of Westchester is making an effort to collect blankets and coats for refugees who have fled Syria for Turkey due to the violence in Syria. The effort is to help Syrian refugee families in need during the harsh winter weather that will soon be upon them.

Why Gulen Should Not Be Extradited

To extradite Gulen would not only imply a high chance of an unfair trial, but would also sound the death knell of a blueprint for global peace. Gulen’s ideas have all the potential for a global approach to peace-building. John L. Esposito, a professor at Georgetown University and a highly respected expert on Islam, called Gulen’s initiatives “extraordinarily unique”, and suggested it would be “wise” for other Muslim movements to emulate them.

Archbishop Tutu receives Gülen peace award

South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, was awarded the Fethullah Gülen Peace and Dialogue Award during the seventh annual Ubuntu Lecture and Dialogue Awards ceremony held in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening.

Turkey’s Gulen Demand – The U.S. shouldn’t extradite the exiled Turk without better evidence

Turkey is demanding that the U.S. extradite Fethullah Gulen whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating this month’s failed military coup. “The evidence is crystal clear,” PM Yildirim told the Journal Tuesday, adding that Washington’s request for evidence of Mr. Gulen’s guilt is superfluous “when 265 people have been killed.” If that’s Mr. Yildirim’s standard of proof, Washington should deny the request.

A coup was launched from here? Intrigue in rural Pennsylvania

It is high summer in this rural corner of northeastern Pennsylvania – a time of blue skies, boating on the Delaware River, and, if Turkey’s president is to be believed, plots to overthrow his government.

Orphanage school principal: Accusing Kimse Yok Mu of terror endangers Kyrgyz orphans

Rüstem Atayev, the principal of the Togolok Moldo Orphans’ School in Kyrgyzstan’s capital, Bişkek, has said that the Turkish government accusing the Turkish charity Kimse Yok Mu of terrorism activities will put the welfare of the orphans at the school in jeopardy, as the school is financed by Kimse Yok Mu donations.

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

CSOs continue to condemn hate speech against Hizmet movement

‘Alliance with PKK’ claims latest conspiracy against Gülen movement

Nigeria: Post-2015 Agenda – Addressing the Inadequacies in Women’s Rights

Veteran out of social security coverage after being dismissed in post-coup purge

Turkish PM asks citizens for help in witch-hunt against Gülen sympathizers

Kimse Yok Mu distributes heating stoves in Mongolia

German ambassador: Berlin does not recognize Gülen movement as ‘terrorist’ group

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News