Middle East: In the Wake of the Ceasefire, Don't Forget: Israel Is the Aggressor - Opinion by: Ahmed Twaij

After nearly two weeks of violence between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza, a ceasefire agreement has finally been reached. But the duration of the ceasefire remains questionable, especially given that the grievances that led up to the most recent conflict persist, and without addressing them, it's only a matter of time before the next wave of violence begins. Indeed, less than a day after the ceasefire was announced, violent clashes began again between Palestinian worshippers and Israeli police at Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem, reproducing the same conflagration that led to the armed conflict with Gaza.

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Middle East: Turkey: Emerging From the Pandemic, Turkey Rolls Out a More Assertive Foreign Policy - by Marc Pierini

Turkey has been swift to implement its own brand of diplomacy during the coronavirus pandemic, including deliveries of medical supplies and plans for long-term cooperation on medical equipment. This cooperative diplomacy goes hand in hand with an assertive foreign policy, illustrated by military interventions and challenges to the legal order in the Eastern Mediterranean. While consistent with the government’s strategy for 2023—when Turkey will hold both a presidential election and celebrations of the country’s centennial—this policy is bound to create increasing difficulties for Ankara’s partners.

Turkey has been sending supplies of medical equipment to countries and regions chosen for a variety of strategic ends—whether to maintain stable ties (as with Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom), further geopolitical interests (as with the Western Balkans and various African partners), or attempt to win favors (as with the United States). Using its long-haul military cargo planes, Turkey was able to promote these deliveries to 116 countries through ceremonies carefully choreographed by Turkish diplomats.

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Emerging From the Pandemic, Turkey Rolls Out a More Assertive Foreign Policy - Carnegie Europe - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace