The behavior surrounding the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip exposes the hypocrisy of Turkish politics, from the government to the opposition. While Israeli attacks on mosques, hospitals and civilian facilities in Gaza are unanimously condemned, the opposition supports the Turkish army's attacks on civilian infrastructure, prayer houses and hospitals in Rojava.

The President's Office's request to extend the mandate for the army's foreign missions in Iraq and Syria for another two years was approved with a broad majority of 357 votes to 164. Only HEDEP opposed the application. The CHP also did not agree, but explained that this was not because of its opposition to cross-border operations, but because the request also included the presence of “foreign soldiers” in Turkey. In doing so, it joined the expected coalition of warmongers against Rojava and South Kurdistan.

Turkey wants to isolate Rojava and drive out the Kurdish population

Esengül Demir, co-spokeswoman of the Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK), analyzed the role of the opposition in the war in an interview with ANF. She first described the dimensions of the attack on Rojava and spoke of the embargo against the self-governing region that has been in place for years. In this way, Turkey is trying to completely cut off Rojava from South Kurdistan, which is controlled by a KDP puppet government that is loyal to Turkey. Demir said: “Turkey is trying to put international pressure on Rojava and drive out the Kurdish population through attacks. It is pursuing a special form of politics to bring the entire region under its control. It uses its possibilities to prevent certain decisions in international organizations such as NATO and the United Nations.”

“The new life there is under attack”

Esengül Demir said that “Turkey is able to obtain permission from international powers to enter Rojava's airspace and carry out attacks with drones. With its attacks, which are particularly aimed at representatives of grassroots democratic self-government, Turkey is targeting the new life that has been built in Rojava. In addition, the Turkish Foreign Minister openly announced that he would attack Rojava's civil infrastructure and energy supplies indiscriminately. This openly announced war crime was carried out on a large scale from 4 October.”

Attacks on food storage facilities

Esengül Demir said that Turkey's position on Israel's attacks on Palestine is clear and has been expressed in its public statements. She added that, on the one hand, Turkey was protesting against the deaths of civilians in Palestine, but on the other hand, it was carrying out exactly the same attacks against Rojava. Demir said: “If you protest against the deaths of civilians and believe that international law of war has been violated, then the reaction must be the same everywhere, no matter where in the world such crimes occur. But Turkey carried out attacks on food storage facilities, water supplies and hospitals on the same days as Israel attacked Gaza. A year ago, data was published showing how women, children and dozens of civilians lost their lives in a Turkish attack on a hospital. The images of children whose bodies were burned in the Turkish attacks were sometimes used as if they were from Palestinian hospitals. Some of them were even presented as images of Israeli attacks.”

“The opposition in Turkey is also lying”

Esengül Demir criticized the fact that the opposition in Turkey is behind the government's hypocritical policies and is jointly trying to deceive the world public. The HDK spokeswoman recalled the Turkish parliament's adoption of the extension of the foreign mission mandate to continue the war in Syria and Iraq and said: “While the opposition in its own parliament passes a war resolution to invade and attack the territory of another country, they loudly condemn Israel. The opposition parties in Turkey not only ignore the attacks on Rojava, but have actually supported the government's stance towards Rojava since 2013. Even during the recent attacks, they did not take a position against Turkey's decision and referred to the Foreign Minister's statement. This shows that the opposition stands behind the Turkish state and the government and has the same view of the Kurds and Kurdish politics as all previous governments in Turkey. It is clear that the opposition will not take a stand against it. This opposition, protesting against Israel, remains deaf, dumb and blind when it comes to Rojava. The opposition therefore plays a role in the attacks on Rojava. Not only the government, but also the opposition bears responsibility for these attacks and the continuation of the war policy, because they support the attacks, do not protest and make decisions that legitimize them.”