Gaza VS Qnadil

Gaza v Qandil: questioning Turkey's peace-making mission KurdishMedia.com - By Dilshad Hama While the idea of writing about the incocistincies triggered by Israel's Gaza assault stirring in my mind, I was a bit cautious to go ahead. This is because we still live with the (either with me or against me) mindset. We either with Israel against Hamas, or the other way round. My concerns were about the risk of confirming a trade-off between tow situations, condemning the ongoing atrocities in Gaza on the hands of the "Jewish" state and criticising Turkey's critical and peace-making role-play with all its inconsistencies contained, and setting this against turkey's own internal and external policies, one becoming increasingly popular, thanks to the globalised media while the other barely attracting any attention from outside. While I belief that what's going on in Gaza under the offensive of a gigantic military state in the region, Israel, is a mere crime against humanity, meanwhile, I belief that these atrocities are only acceptable in a world that accepts, even affirms- among countless cases- what's happening to Qandil and its defenceless residents under constant Turkish and Iranian bombardments. What is striking however, especially for Kurds is the hysterias reaction of these tow countries (Iran and Turkey) to the Israeli assault on the "Muslims" of Gaza on which they should have been given enough credit, had they themselves not been involved in spreading fear in the hearts of thousands of the "Muslim" population of Iraqi Kurdistan especially those resident in the rural mountainous areas of Qndil and Pishder region and the areas on the Turkish-Iraqi border near Dohuk province. Under the pretext of eradicating PKK terrorism and fighting the separatist activities of PJAk (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan, operating within Iran), both countries have been bombarding from air or shelling from the ground (or both), using their latest technologically developed military might. It seems that, if nothing, Kurds can unite these countries, one secular and the other religious. We might take Iran's reaction and its rhetorical standing by Palestinians for granted, as this is consistent with the religious mission of the Islamic state, for that, I will only focus on Turkey's position in the ongoing crisis between Israel and Hamas. The relationship between Israel and Turkey still considered being of alliance and cooperation. Both being close allies to US, they have been maintaining good relations for a long time, they been particularly maintaining security and economic ties under the nose of some regional Arab and Muslim countries who have been keeping a distance with Israel. However, the AKP party seems to be promising subtle foreign policies shifts from the conventional Turkish foreign policy towards Israel. As the Israeli offensive proves more critical and claims more lives among Palestinians, Rejeb Erdogan's language becomes more critical of Israel culminating so far in his comment (History will be Israel's judgment). Beside his critical comments, Erdogan been out and about in a peace-making mission meeting Arab, Muslim and Israeli leaders discussing ways to end the "Israeli hostilities", for this, he should be given credit despite many questions which he would have to face. There is no doubt that the severity of Israel's offensive and its bloody consequences in Gaza have created a worldwide atmosphere of denouncement and condemnation and turkey's political and public attitude towards Israel's action could partially be analysed in this way. However, the crucial and the most important questions Erdogan and Turkish politicians and public may have to answer, is why this double-standard attitude again? What makes the tow situations mentioned above so different? Bombarding houses, schools and mosques in Gaza under the pretext of protecting Israeli citizens and stopping "unguided rockets" of Hamas on one hand, and bombarding and shelling houses, mosques and schools of the rural areas surrounding mountain Qandil under pretext of attacking PKK hideouts and eradicating terrorism? True, far less innocent people killed in the second case, however, every life counts and every life is valuable, besides, the fear, devastation and fleeing ones own home are characteristics of both Gaza and Qandil assaults. While majority of Kurds full heartedly stand against the mass killing and atrocities committed by Israel in Gaza. I belief that they are entitled to ask their Turkish brothers "in Islam" and neighbours, they should feel the same way towards Kurds whom being victimised by policies lack the basic foundations of morality and reason. If Erdogan and Turkey are truly peace-loving, they should start from within, first, finding a peaceful solution to their fellow Kurds citizen's question then stop devastating the lives of innocent Kurdish population of Qandil and other border areas of Iraqi-Kurdistan. Erdogan's peace-making mission is self-defeating unless he can address the internal injustice in his own country and unless his country refrains from committing the same crimes he is criticising Israel for.   A.Y.H