The Head of the Hamas Political Bureau, Khaled Meshaal, surprised supporters of Turkey’s governing Justice and Development Party this week by participating in the party’s conference held in the city of Konya, the birthplace of current Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu. For Hamas, Meshaal’s visit had several dimensions, including an emphasis on the fact that the movement is taking balanced action after a Hamas delegation visited Tehran and a spokesman thanked Iran for its support for the Palestinian resistance.
The visit was a message to all who are pressuring Hamas for having relations with major regional powers such as Turkey and Iran. At the same time, as Meshaal’s host, Turkey also sent a powerful message that it continues to support Hamas.
Although there are now rumours that Meshaal is leaving his base in Qatar, I do not believe them. As far as I am concerned, that’s merely wishful thinking by those hostile to Hamas, most notably Israel.
Meshaal’s speech at the Konya conference was brief. He stressed a number of important points, including Turkey’s continued support for the Palestinians and its historical support for Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the resistance. The Hamas leader did not forget to praise Turkey for its slogan “Turkey is strong” as part of its strategic vision. “A democratic, stable and developed Turkey is a source of power for all Muslims,” he insisted.
What caught my attention the most while listening to Meshaal’s speech was his reference to a historic event: “In 1980, when Jerusalem was at risk from the Zionists, the [people of the] city of Konya protested and expressed their anger.” He chose his words carefully, prompting cheers and touching the hearts of the Turks who attended the conference. He linked history, geography and human beings in a single sentence.
The date Meshaal referred to, 1980, was before the establishment of Hamas in 1987, which emphasises the fact that the Turkish people support the rights of the Palestinian people and not a particular movement or faction. He also noted that Turkish hearts are connected directly to Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The message that the cause of Jerusalem and Palestine is superior to any other dispute or conflict should be understood by all Arab regimes.
When Israel declared Jerusalem to be its “undivided” capital in 1980, Turkey’s National Salvation Party, one of the Justice and Development Party’s main predecessors, organised the “Save Jerusalem” demonstration in Konya. Nearly half a million people participated, chanting against Israel and carrying a large three-dimensional model of Al-Aqsa Mosque. They were led by Necmettin Erbakan, and chanted “There is no god but Allah”, the declaration of faith uniting those involved in jihad.
Although the Konya demonstration for the sake of Jerusalem was followed by a military coup which led to the imprisonment of the protest organisers, the spark of desire to defend the Palestinians did not die. This provides us with some hope, which is perhaps why, 35 years later and from the podium of their governing party, Meshaal went to Konya to salute the people of the city who rose up in 1980 and who are still doing their bit for the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice.
Translated from Al-Sharq, 8 January, 2015
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