It is not exactly the first time that Erdogan speaks out against Israel in undiplomatic strong words. Shortly after Israel first attacked Hamas in Gaza, the prime minister of secular Turkey said that God would punish it for its ‘inhumane actions.’ He added that Israel’s offensive would eventually lead to its (divine of course) destruction.

Erdogan is a highly emotional individuals, a conservative Muslim and a political Islamist. As such, one expects him to think negatively about Israel in private. However, Israel and Turkey have been regional allies for decades. The two have supported each other, traded with each other, and have had tremendous contacts with each other during good and bad times because this was in the interest of both.

The Islamist prime minister, however, cares less about pragmatism and more about his Islamist ideology. He often hides this side of himself, but his Islamist essence has resurfaced in the last three weeks; the masque of moderation (not of secularism which he also tried to put on for a couple of years) has been taken down, his real face is visible to all.

Erdogan does not act in Turkey’s interest; rather, he acts as one should expect from an Islamist who cares less about his nation’s interest and more about forcing his religious and political (because the two are mixed with him) on everybody; Turks and foreigners.

You see, if this was a case of moral values, of ‘humanity,’ and so on, Erdogan would have called on the UN to bar other countries years ago; Syria, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China - all have governments with a far worse record than Israel.

These countries, except for China that is, all have one thing in common: they are majority-Muslim states. Two of them are not just majority-Muslim but even states run by fundamentalists, in the case of Iran even extremists. This explains why Erdogan does not criticize them at all.

Most are used to the double standard employed by Erdogan with regards to Israel, but commentators such as myself are not used to Turkish leaders using this double standard as well. Turkey is a secular country and was ruled, for many decades, by secular nationalists who had little to no sympathy for Palestinians let alone Hamas. At least, not in their public life. Erdogan is a different political animal altogether, however; by behaving as his nature forces him to, Erdogan is huring Turkey, its reputation, and its relationship with important, nay key, allies.

We will see how this develops in the coming months. Will Erdogan lose power and will he be replaced by a secularist, or will he and his party remain in power, despite the wishes of secularists, for years to come, thereby finally doing what so many Turkish Islamists wanted to do for years: abolishing the country’s secular system? As can be seen now, such a change will not only be bad for Turkish secularists, but it will also influence other countries. These other countries should pay attention and, if necessary, make clear to Erdogan that they are willing to only accept this much, and nothing more. If Turkey’s secularists cannot keep Erdogan in check, perhaps foreigners can; we can, at the very least, try to limit the damage he does to the region and the world.

By PoliGazette, used under Creative Commons.