Spain and Türkiye: A Gaza Stance, Not a Moral Compass
📰 THE STORY: Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and Spain’s Congress of Deputies Speaker Francina Armengol Socias met in Ankara, emphasizing a shared stance on Gaza and a desire to widen relations. The Daily Sabah frames this as a significant diplomatic alignment against 'Israeli violence.' 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: While Spain has recently taken a stronger
stance, historically, European nations, including Spain, have often prioritized economic and geopolitical ties with the United States and Israel over principled support for Palestinian rights. The Nakba of 1948, where over 750,000 Palestinians were ethnically cleansed, remains the foundational crime, rarely acknowledged directly by European powers. For Türkiye, while Erdogan criticizes Israel
publicly, the country has maintained significant trade relations, including military cooperation, until recent pressures, demonstrating a consistent pattern of prioritizing national interests over unwavering solidarity. Double Standard: The media often praises European nations for even mildly critical statements against Netanyahu's government, elevating them to 'champions of justice.' This is a
stark double standard compared to the continuous demonization of countries in the Global South, like South Africa, which took the principled step to bring a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ. When Western powers apply minimal pressure, it's 'diplomacy'; when others act decisively, it's 'radical' or 'antisemitic.' Follow the Money: The 'widening relations' between Türkiye and Spain are not