Ankara: Turkish media outlets today focused on the direct message delivered by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the Arab world via the Qatari channel Al Jazeera, in which he called for avoiding disputes and strengthening ties between Turks, Arabs, and Kurds to confront the challenges and tensions facing the region and to avert dangers.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, Turkish media highlighted key points from Erdogan’s message to the Arab world, in which he called for upholding brotherhood and avoiding discord, in a speech consistent with political messages he has repeatedly delivered in recent months regarding strengthening ties between Turks, Arabs, and Kurds, coinciding with escalating tensions and wars in the region.
They noted that Erdogan’s message via Al Jazeera addressed a number of regional issues, including the Mecca Agreement for joint defense between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, developments in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, and the US-Israeli war with Iran.
They quoted Erdogan as saying, addressing the Arab peoples: “I send them all greetings and love. We love them all.” We are one, united, and strong, but please, let us not hurt one another, let us not anger one another, and let us continue to stay together.”
She explained that Erdogan’s message gains added significance given its alignment with the rhetoric Ankara has adopted domestically recently, particularly within the context of the ‘Turkey Without Terrorism’ initiative. The Turkish president has consistently emphasized the shared destiny of Turks, Arabs, and Kurds, linking the strengthening of the domestic front to stability in the surrounding region.
Media outlets noted Erdogan’s warning against reopening sectarian and historical disputes amidst the ongoing wars, considering such discussions to be fueling discord and deepening animosity among the peoples of the region. He called for preventing the war from escalating and engulfing the entire Middle East in flames.
These messages come at a time when the region is witnessing a broad military escalation, with the continuation of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and attacks on Lebanon and Syria, alongside the repercussions of the confrontation with Iran. In response, several Arab and Islamic capitals are moving towards building new security and political understandings.
In this context, the “Mecca Agreement,” which brought together Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, stood out. Erdogan described it as an important message to the world, emphasizing that the three countries wanted to present themselves as advocates for peace, while keeping the door open for other countries to join the agreement.
Turkish media outlets confirmed that Erdogan’s message to the Arab world appeared to be more than just a political greeting, reflecting a Turkish approach that seeks to extend the discourse of “brotherhood and solidarity” from within to the regional sphere. Ankara believes that preventing internal divisions among the peoples of the region has become part of the equation for preventing wars and protecting stability.