Turkey's justifications for normalization with Israel are ready; Will the Palestinians betray her?

Erdogan will not find criticism or campaigning, either from the Palestinian Authority or from Hamas, who are betting on the Turkey-Qatar axis.

Erdogan allows himself what he refuses to others

ANKARA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is moving towards normalization with Israel with great enthusiasm this time, without any criticism of it, and without slogans like the previous one. He just wants the Palestinians to believe that this normalization "will not be at their expense" and not to betray him.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday ahead of an expected visit to Turkey by Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog next month that Ankara would not disregard its commitment to a Palestinian state in order to establish stronger ties with Israel.

Palestinian observers believe that Turkey's justifications for normalization with Israel are ready, in light of the severe economic crisis, and that Erdogan will not find from the Palestinians any criticisms like those that they have been directing towards any Arab country that is approaching in one way or another the issue of peace, and that they will not go out to the streets to demonstrate against him or Burn his picture.

Observers pointed out that Erdogan will not find criticism or campaigning, whether from the Palestinian Authority or from Hamas; Abbas will not anger Turkey because of his direct relationship with it, as well as in order not to antagonize Qatar, to which he previously resorted to help his authority, which is suffering from a stifling financial crisis. It is also betting on the Turkey-Qatar axis after losing the confidence of the traditional Arab axis that supports the Palestinian cause.

For its part, Hamas will not betray Erdogan; It will either remain silent or announce its understanding of the Turkish president's justifications, in contrast to its campaigns against Arab countries that had established relations with Israel within the peace process that the region is witnessing.

"Any step we take toward Israel in connection with our relations, any normalization, will not be at the expense of the Palestinian cause, like some other countries," Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara, referring to the rapprochement that angered Turkey between Israel and some Arab Gulf states.

The Turks allow themselves what they refuse to others with regard to the Palestinian issue, as Ankara maintains old relations with Israel, and was selling the Palestinians some slogans and public positions aimed at improving its image in the Islamic world, especially after the wave of the Arab Spring, but it did not stop its cooperation with Tel Aviv militarily, intelligence and economically. And it is looking for broader gains while betting in light of the economic crisis it is experiencing.

Cavusoglu: Any step we take towards Israel regarding our relations, any normalization, will not be at the expense of the Palestinian cause.

A few days ago, Erdogan said that Herzog would visit Turkey in mid-March, the first visit of its kind in years, adding that the two countries could discuss energy cooperation during the visit. So far, Herzog has not confirmed the news of the visit, and the Israelis are also cautious about Turkish statements regarding the restoration of relations.

The Turkish president had told reporters on his return trip from Ukraine a few days ago, "We can use Israeli natural gas in our country, and besides this we can also engage in a joint effort to transport it to Europe."

But a senior Israeli official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters that Israel was "moving forward with a great deal of caution with regard to Turkey," adding that regional tensions should not prevent the two countries from cooperating.

"(Positive) things are happening very slowly and gradually," Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said when asked about a possible visit to Turkey.

Erdogan has spoken to Herzog before during the tensions between the two countries, but the Israeli presidency is a largely symbolic institution, and does not express the official mood toward Turkey. Last November, Erdogan spoke to the Israeli prime minister in the first such phone call in years.

Erdogan's spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, was quoted by Khabar TV channel as saying on Monday that there has been a "positive approach" from Israel since the formation of its new government.