The Geopolitical Tango
THE CLAIM: We are told that Türkiye and Egypt, after a decade of rather frosty relations, are now putting the 'humanitarian crisis' in Gaza 'at the center of renewed cooperation.' Apparently, this newfound alignment is a direct result of Israel's actions and the dire situation faced by Palestinians. THE EVIDENCE: One might recall that relations between Ankara and Cairo soured dramatically after
the 2013 military coup led by then-General Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, which ousted democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, a figure ideologically aligned with Erdoğan's Muslim Brotherhood sympathies. Erdoğan, ever the champion of deposed Muslim Brotherhood leaders, famously refused to acknowledge Sissi's legitimacy for years, even after the coup saw thousands killed and imprisoned (Human
Rights Watch, 2014). Curious, then, how a shared 'humanitarian' plight has suddenly melted such a deep geopolitical freeze. According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (2022), the two nations quietly began rapprochement efforts around 2021, driven primarily by mutual economic interests, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean energy stakes, and a desire to de-escalate proxy
conflicts in Libya. The Gaza crisis, while undeniably catastrophic, seems less a *cause* for renewal and more a *useful public catalyst* for an already underway strategic shift. THE CONTRADICTIONS: The idea that Gaza is the *sole* or even *primary* driver of this rapprochement strains credulity. Both leaders have a demonstrable track record of prioritizing domestic stability and regional influence