Hamas is considered a terrorist organisation by many countries. Non-recognition of Israel and the establishment of an Arab state in the Palestinian territories are the main goals of the organisation. The main source of conflict between Israel and Hamas is based on numerous factors such as local conflicts, historical and political issues, religious and ideological differences. But above all, there are many points of tension between the parties that lead to the escalation of the conflict, which in turn paves the way for Hamas attacks. The incessant attacks carried out by Hamas, including the latest on 7 October, allow Israel to use them as a pretext for attacking the Palestinian people. Undoubtedly, as always, it is the people themselves who suffer the most from these attacks.
The problem of nation-states in the Middle East implies a complex problem of how to balance ethnic, religious and cultural differences in the region. Throughout history, the Middle East has been characterised by great diversity among different ethnic groups and religious communities. This diversity has led to major problems in the demarcation of borders, the formation of nation-states, the model of governance, political representation, citizenship rights and other issues.
Ethnic and religious diversity:
Because of these problems, the dominant powers in the region have constantly created conflicts between groups. The ethnic and religious diversity of the Middle East and the character of its society have not fully accepted the nation-state system. The diversity of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Assyrians, non-Arab Muslims, Christians, Jews and many other ethnic and religious communities in the region, the identity of the nation-states and the concepts of citizenship have been involved in conflicts. Chaos and war have always developed in the region as a result of unresolved issues.
Historical problems:
Historical events in the region have always led to problems in determining borders and jurisdiction over land. For example, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the subsequent demarcation of borders between ethnic groups raised complex issues. Many ethnic and religious groups were not included in the demarcation of borders and their existence was threatened. Over time, many groups such as Assyrians, Syriacs, Chaldeans, etc. lost their identity and were assimilated. The peoples who resisted this assimilation were also massacred and killed in the war.
Demands for autonomy:
Because of the diversity of ethnic groups in the Middle East, many groups demand autonomy. Some are caught in the wind of the nation-state and demand statehood. However, due to the plans and projects developed in the region and the reluctance of political administrations, these popular demands have never been met as desired. The crises of nation-states have also led to an increase in foreign intervention in the region. These interventions have exacerbated conflicts and tensions in the region. This situation is at the root of many conflicts in the Middle East, such as the nation-state problem, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Kurdish problem and the Syrian civil war. More than ever, different methods are needed to solve these problems.
Democratic confederalism
During a lawyer visit on 21 December 2009, Öcalan says that Hamas has nothing to do with Islam and makes the following assessment: “Hamas’ war is only for power. It uses Islam for the interests of its own power. I am not praising Israel here. Everyone already knows my views and opinions about Israel. I am saying this in order to understand the meaning and purpose of these. It is the same with the AKP. The AKP’s perception of Islam is their perception of Islam. They have nothing to do with real Islam. This understanding of Islam has been formed at a later stage. They use Islam to build their power, to stay in power. They use religion to earn more money, to stay in power longer. The Iranian perception of Islam is also the same. They use Islam to strengthen their power, to stay in power.”
‘It wants to establish its own Hamas’
On 1 November 2010, Öcalan mentions to his lawyers the concept of AKP and Hamas and makes these evaluations. “AKP is trying to establish its own Hamas. If organisations like Hamas take over the region, it will no longer be able to control itself. These people will not only destroy us, they will be able to take over the whole region. They did this in Palestine. How did they take power from Fatah? Didn’t you see what this Hamas mentality did in Palestine? During the seizure of power, people were thrown from the roofs of buildings. They want to repeat the same thing in the region. They have nothing to do with religion.”
A few days ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan openly stated at his party’s group meeting that he does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation. This also reveals the ideological relationship between AKP and Hamas. Such approaches do not allow for the development of a fundamental solution and the end of chaos in the region. The AKP-MHP government is fuelling war and creating chaos under the pretext of opposing the Kurdish people with its war policy. The reason for the worsening of the war in North and East Syria, Libya, Armenia and even Ukraine today is the war-based approach of the AKP-MHP government.
