The crisis is in favor of al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad took a significant step the other evening. After Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech at the parliamentary group meeting, he convened his Cabinet and declared that Syria is in a “state of war.”

This sentence should be highlighted. It means this: When it is a state of war, then it is beyond normal conditions. Everybody has to act accordingly. Al-Assad will have a free hand from now on.

Domestically, there will not be any room for any uprising or criticism. As a matter of fact, nobody was able to open their mouths previously anyway, but from now on the situation will get more serious. More precisely, al-Assad will be able to associate each of the steps he will take in the next term with the justification that “they are in a state of war.”

Declaration of martial law in Syria might be in question. This, of course, will increase the domestic tension.

It means that, from now on, Turkey-Syria relations will be navigated at the level of “war.” Even the slightest accident may confront the two countries. A clash may erupt for no reason.

We are now in a process when utmost attention is needed.

Turkey is big and mighty. Its army is extremely capable, but Syria also should be paid attention to. Let’s not forget, a little stone can upset a large cart.

Cutting utilities would be oppression
Almost everybody has an opinion on what kind of a response should be inflicted on Syria. One of the most frequent suggestions I’ve been hearing lately is the call, “Let’s cut their water and electricity.”

Can you imagine? We will cut their water first, which is the most essential thing that gives people life, and then after that, their electricity, which is the basis for everything we use in our daily lives. Well, what will happen then? We would make the Syrian people, with whom we say we are friends, miserable. We would fuel Turcophobia, which is already on the rise, with our own hands.

Leaving millions without water is a “crime against humanity.” Also cutting electricity would greatly hamper Turkey’s credibility. We would not be able to sell such strategic energy products to any other country.

The sense of lack of Israel
The crisis experienced with Syria must have reminded us once of more the importance of relations with Israel. Once more it has been revealed that policy-making is impossible in the Middle East without a relationship with Israel.

These lines are not written with the intention of “let’s open our arms to Israel.” If there is a step to be taken, it should be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take this step, I believe.

However, I do believe in the importance of Israel in the region.

The flotilla attack has not only damaged Turkey but inflicted major damage on Israel as well. It is extremely unfortunate that the two countries are in contradiction with each other when they could share so many topics.

I’m sure Israel is just as uncomfortable with the absence of Turkey in their relations.