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Said Al-Haj

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Items by Said Al-Haj

  • Mistakes have been made by Turkiye’s ruling party that could affect the 2023 elections

    The number of domestic and foreign issues demanding the attending of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Turkiye is growing. The elephant in the room is next year’s presidential and parliamentary elections. Scheduled for June 2023, they could, of course, be held earlier. Indeed, it is...

  • What did Turkiye gain from normalising its regional relations?

    Turkish foreign policy during the era of the Justice and Development party witnessed several stages of change, primarily coinciding with, and influenced by, local and regional developments. However, the last few years have shown it to be as if it has become a daily policy that is closer to...

  • Is Imamoglu a strong candidate for the Turkish presidential election?

    Since the municipal elections in Turkey in 2019, the name of the Mayor of Greater Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu, has been proposed as a possible and even strong candidate for the presidential election next year. He was successful in winning the most important and largest municipality in the country, which...

  • Has Turkey abandoned Assad’s departure as a condition for progress?

    The four Turkish conditions for the withdrawal of its troops from Syria, as reported in the media, have raised questions about the reality of Turkey’s position on the regime of Bashar Al-Assad, and whether Ankara has changed its position of refusing to recognise its legitimacy. In what appeared to...

  • Rapprochement with the UAE: Is Turkey changing its foreign policy?

    The past few weeks have brought about an important shift in the region, represented by the visit of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Zayed, to Turkey and his meeting with Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, where he was warmly received. The two countries signed a number of agreements...

  • Who is going to compete with Erdogan in 2023?

    Since the 2019 municipal elections, talk of early elections in Turkey has not subsided, as the opposition has repeatedly demanded them, leaning on its relative progress in those elections and promoting an image of confidence for itself in achieving a similar victory in the parliamentary and presidential elections. On...

  • What’s new about the Putin-Erdogan summit?

    On Wednesday, the Russian city of Sochi will host a new summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, after no such meetings have been held for quite a while. The last summit between the two presidents was a year and a half ago, in...

  • Did the Berlin Conference on Libya reassure or concern Turkey?

    Turkey’s recent agreements with the Government of National Accord in Libya over maritime borders and the deployment of troops to the North African country, as well as its co-sponsorship with Russia of a ceasefire proposal, have revealed it to be a major player in the Libyan issue. The Turkish...

  • Turkey’s complicated calculations over Soleimani’s assassination 

    It is a bit of a cliché, but Turkey’s calculations about Iran’s response to the US assassination of Qassem Soleimani are complicated. The Iranian general was, after all, the main actor for his country in Syria and Iraq, the two most important arenas for the regional competition between Ankara...

  • The Israel factor in tense Turkey-US relations

    Regardless of the consequences of the current tension between Turkey and the United States, and how the two sides will resolve the current dispute, it is considered to be the most severe crisis between them in a long time. The last occasion of such magnitude was probably the arms...

  • Choosing between Israel and Hezbollah

    The title of this article may seem strange to some, and the subject will certainly stir up a “hornet’s nest” in the eyes of many, and they are right. Addressing such sensitive issues in light of the current intense state of polarisation is a risk, but it is a...

  • What is required of Turkey in the latest fight for Al-Aqsa

    Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque are among the most important issues in the overall Palestinian cause. They are also among the main factors that greatly interest Turkey alongside the siege on Gaza. The Holy Land holds special historical weight for Turkey due to its historical significance in the last Ottoman...

  • Hamas and the Palestinian cause are at the heart of the Gulf storm

    It is still not clear how difficult the Gulf crisis will be now that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have started their boycott of Qatar, but it is clear that developments are unprecedented, rolling and open to all scenarios. It is also clear that Hamas...

  • Who will determine the result of the referendum in Turkey?

    Only a few days separate Turkey from the most important popular referendum in its modern history, as over 55 million voters (exactly 55,336,960) head to the ballot boxes on Sunday to cast their votes a constitutional amendment aimed at transforming the country from a parliamentary to presidential system of...

  • Is there a chance of Turkey having a role in the Palestinian issue?

    Turkey’s attention has turned back to the Middle East, with the ruling Justice and Development Party coming closer to the Palestinian cause for various historical, political, cultural and religious reasons; it is also hoping to reinforce its role in the region. Over a number of years, Ankara has had...

  • The illusion of eliminating Daesh

    We are in the midst of the battle for Mosul, the plans to liberate Al-Raqqa and Turkey’s preparations for the next stage of its “Euphrates Shield” operation by entering the town of Al-Bab. This means that Daesh will be challenged in its three key strongholds in Syria and Iraq....

  • Turkey’s options: Operation Euphrates Shield or the Mosul Battle

    At the beginning of October, the Turkish parliament renewed the memorandum mandating the army to carry out military operations beyond its borders, specifically in Syria and Iraq. This angered the central government in Baghdad, led by Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi, and led to a protest, which, in turn, disrupted...

  • Turkey, Syria, Assad and the deliberate mystery

    Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim’s statements about his country’s desire to improve its relations with Syria are still getting political and media reactions, mainly in the Arab world, especially after he’s been quoted making contradictory statements. The man has repeatedly said that his government intends to improve its relations...

  • Davutoglu steps down: The end of a disagreement or the beginning of a new phase?

    The events that have taken place in Turkey over the course of the past few days are not normal news by any means. For the first time, the ruling figure of a party steps down, or rather, is disqualified from office at the height of his success, as is...

  • Turkey’s political experience is at a crossroads

    The decision made by the nominal head of Turkey’s Justice and Development Party (AKP), Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, to hold an extraordinary congress for the party on 22 May, brings to an end the long and eventful phase of the country dictated by his brilliant foreign policies. Turkey will...