TFLE01: TURKEY: ANGRY CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 004474

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR TASK FORCE ONE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/03/2021
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER TU IS LE
SUBJECT: TFLE01: TURKEY: ANGRY CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE
CEASE-FIRE

REF: A. ANKARA 4373

B. ANKARA 4331

C. ANKARA 4236

Classified By: CDA Nancy McEldowney for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: The mood in Turkey regarding events in
Lebanon - particularly the failure to achieve an early,
UN-brokered ceasefire - has turned angry. Growing protests
on the streets have been matched by official statements in
Kuala Lumpur (PM Erdogan at the OIC ministerial) and
Washington (FM Gul in a Washington Post editorial): the
carnage must stop; Israel's disproportionate use of force is
unacceptable; the U.S. has lost the high ground; and many
here have lost faith in the ability of international
organizations to deal with such crises. Both Gul and Erdogan
warn of a spike in radicalism and extremism as a result.
None of the debate here acknowledges the role of Hizbullah or
Iran, or considers the broader complications of the conflict.
It has been reduced to a one-dimensional tirade against
Israel and, by association, the United States. End Summary.


2. (U) FM and Deputy PM Abdullah Gul, in an August 3 op-ed
piece in the "Washington Post" entitled, "An Appeal for
Leadership - Why Hasn't the World's Lone Superpower Stopped
This Tragedy?" takes the U.S. to task. Gul voices what many
in the governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) have
told us this past week. Events in the Middle East raise
questions about the United States' "legacy of leadership for
justice and freedom." Hopes for the democratic
transformation of the Middle East are being "shattered",
creating a deep sense of indignation "when radicals and
fanatics are looking for pretexts to justify their actions
and to widen their influence." It is necessary to maintain
the moral high ground and address the core issues that have
been festering in the Middle East; this is only possible
through "genuine leadership which must adhere to the values
that it asks of others in order to be effective."


3. (U) PM Erdogan, speaking at the same time from the
opposite end of the world - at the extraordinary OIC meeting
in Kuala Lumpur - stated, "This war can in no way be
qualified as legitimate." It "sows the seeds of abhorrence,
leading to radicalism. ...a new and horrible global fire
awaits us." The UN, Erdogan said, should deal with this, but
was weakened because of differences of opinions among its
members.


4. (U) MFA spokesman Namik Tan reiterated in his August 2
press conference Turkey's expectation of an immediate
cease-fire. Responding to a question, he said, "Great pain
is experienced there every day. Such pain leaves marks on
our hearts and minds. The pain suffered only makes enmity
stronger. We are hoping for an immediate cease-fire so that
we can begin further contributions."


5. (SBU) The government/AKP line is united and passionate. A
number of high-level AKP contacs have told us over the past
several days that the U.S. is damaging the bilateral ties
that our two governments have worked hard to restore, driving
Turkish public opinion to even more anti-American extremes
and torpedoing hopes of continued cooperation on the Broader
Middle East North African initiative (BMENA). It is also,
they told us, further damaging Turks' faith in the ability of
international organizations - be it the UN, the EU or the OIC
- to act effectively in a crisis.


6. (C) Normally mild-mannered AKP vice-chairman Dengir Firat
told us angrily on August 2 that Turkey condemns all forms of
terrorism, but "you cannot be against an entire nation
(Lebanon) to eliminate terrorists." The public does not view
this conflict as between Israel and Palestine or between

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Israel and Hamas or Hizbullah - it blames the U.S. for
blocking UN action, for telling Israel that it is right and
should continue to kill civilians. PM Erdogan, Firat
concluded, who willingly assumed the duty as co-chair of
BMENA because he believed the civilizations should come
together, "is losing hope."


7. (C) The angry public mood is reflected in MPs'
constituencies as well. AKP whip Eyup Fatsa, from a Black
Sea hazelnut producing area currently in turmoil over low
commodity prices, told us that despite these problems, every
second question he gets is on the Middle East. Firat, Fatsa
and PM adviser Nabi Avci, all reconciled to a long
negotiation phase leading up to a cease-fire, said the public
was convinced that the U.S. was responding to Israeli timing.
While a cease-fire would be meaningful for governments,
Fatsa said that for the public it is already too late.


8. (SBU) At the same time, the GOT continues to mull the
prospect of Turkish participation in a peacekeeping or
stabilization force. Speaking at the OIC ministerial in
Malaysia - after meetings with the Pakistani PM and Iranian
president - PM Erdogan stated, "What kind of a contribution
we could make to the stability force in Lebanon, under what
conditions we could participate, on these issues our views
are converging. We may participate in the stability force on
the condition that a ceasefire is declared and the sides
agree to it."


9. (U) The Turkish parliament's Human Rights Committee is
holding an extraordinary session August 3 to discuss the
"inhuman atrocities in the Middle East and Lebanon." After
26 members resigned from the Turkish-Israel
Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group on August 1, media
report that all opposition Republic People's party (CHP)
members of the 263-member strong group also resigned their
membership August 2 in protest. Membership now stands at

123. CHP Deputy Group Chairman Haluk Koc said Israel
implements "state terrorism" and uses disproportionate force.
AKP Adana MP Vahit Kirisci said before considering
dissolving the group altogether, the group would call for
Israel to stop its attacks and work for peace. Mainstream
"Milliyet" newspaper quoted Turkish-Palestine
Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Huseyin
Tanriverdi as calling the Qana bombing similar to the
practices of Hitler; "Israel blows winds of terror in the
Middle East with the support of the UN, U.S. and western
countries."


10. (C/NF) The tensions affect other elements of Turkish
society as well. Contacts in the Jewish community in
Istanbul expressed concern about Turkish reaction and said
they plan to lower their (already low) profile. One Jewish
physician recently had patients request their files to take
their business elsewhere. Another prominent businessman
noted increased remarks to him about his Jewish heritage
among his high-society friends. Community members are
considering reaching out to mainstream media to try to tone
down inflammatory rhetoric. In light of prior attacks on
synagogues in 1986, 1992 and 2003, security remains the top
concern.


11. (C) Comment: AKP reactions may be coordinated, but they
are raw and real. AKP has two major domestic audiences:
constituencies and party members. The television pictures
sear their constituencies and the GOT has had no good answers
aside from "the UN is working on it." Now AKPers can respond
that their top government officials have made their views
known around the world. Within AKP, many have never harbored
particularly warm feelings toward Israel; Erdogan's and Gul's
statements - and the venues in which they were expressed -
underscore to the party faithful that their message, too, is

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being heard. End comment.

Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/

MCELDOWNEY