The usual Turkish diplomatic ire was on display in response to a new law passed in the Israeli Knesset that devlares only Jews have the right to self-determination in the country.
The nation-state law, as it has come to be known, can certainly be criticised for its content (which is hardly liberal). It can even be condemned or outright rejected as the Turks are often wont to do, or questioned about the motivation behind it. All the same, when such critical ire comes from Ankara, it provides material for dark humour.
Vice President Fuat Oktay rejected the Israeli legislation and wrote (on his Twitter account) about “the Israeli parliament that ignores fundamental rights and freedoms,” and about “violations of universal legal principles.” That’s fine. Then Turkey accused Israel of being an “apartheid state,” and renounced it as racist. That’s fine, too. A view is a view, after all. There is no harm in a view.
Then Ibrahim Kalın, the presidential spokesman, said “this racist move that amounts to erasing the Palestinian people from their homeland physically and legally.”
Never mind if the objectors are good friends with people like Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela and Omar al-Bashir of Sudan – both of whom were guests at the presidential oath-taking ceremony on July 9th. Never mind that they are close allies with the mullahs in Iran or with the emirs of the Gulf while at the same time calling a country where public signs are printed in three languages (including Arabic) an “apartheid state.”
But then let’s take a closer look at the constitution of the country where Kurds account for some 15 to 20 percent of the population. A country that is not an “apartheid state.” Some constitutional excerpts:
“Affirming the eternal existence of the Turkish Motherland and Nation and the indivisible unity of the Sublime Turkish State…"
“The absolute supremacy of the will of the nation, the fact that sovereignty is vested fully and unconditionally in the Turkish Nation…"
“That no protection shall be accorded to an activity contrary to Turkish national interests, Turkish existence and the principle of its indivisibility with its State and territory, historical and moral values of Turkishness…"
"…has been entrusted by the Turkish Nation to the democracy-loving Turkish sons’ and daughters’ love for the motherland and nation.”
“The Turkish Nation shall exercise its sovereignty through the authorized organs…"
“Judicial power shall be exercised by independent courts on behalf of the Turkish Nation.”
Welcome to a nation that lives in an extremely fragile glass house.
