With Israel and Turkey starting a new détente, the visit of Israeli President Herzog to Turkey on March 9 can mark a significant change in Turkish-Israeli relations. The political leadership of Israel and Turkey did not see eye to eye with each other since 2010, and it is hard to disregard the mistrust issue that has affected the bilateral relations.

Turkish President Erdoğan travelled to the United Arab Emirates on February 14, hoping to develop the momentum Turkey has captured with the UAE. Erdoğan has been given a warm and friendly welcome after touching down in Abu Dhabi.

2011 yılında Tunus Cumhurbaşkanı Bin Ali’yi gösteriler sonrası devrildiğinde bölgede bir umut dalgası oluşmuş ve esen rüzgar kısa sürede Mısır, Suriye, Libya ve Yemen başta olmak üzere bütün Arap ülkelerini etkilemişti. Arap Baharının yaşandığı diğer ülkelerde olduğu gibi, Tunus’ta da rüzgar son zamanlarda tersten esiyor.

The rapprochement efforts between Turkey and Egypt are not just important for these two countries. They have also imminent consequences for Libya and the Brotherhood. An agreement between Turkey and Egypt would boost the chances of the viability of Libya’s unity government.

To justify its military operations in Syria, Turkey has referred to self-defense and counterterrorism, and vaguely invoked humanitarian intervention and responsibility to protect civilians. In Libya, however, Turkey invoked UN resolutions and bilateral security agreements for its operations.

As its troop deployments in Syria and Libya are constituting an intervention into domestic jurisdiction, Turkey needed to show that it is complying with the international laws as well as setting out the rationale for its military operations in those countries.