The toppling of Bashar al-Assad in Syria has resulted in a power vacuum in the country and short-term volatility in the wider region of the Middle East after an assortment of military groups swept across the country in a little over 10 days.
Amid the current volatile conditions, and despite regional and larger powers vying to reinforce their positions in the country, the majority of pundits concur that Turkey and Israel so far appear to be on the winning side of the ledger, while Russia, Iran and the Palestinians in Gaza stand on the losing side of the conflict.
However, uncertainty always begets opportunity, sometime leading to overreactions, either in rhetoric or actions.
In this vein, and in line with the resurgent neo-Ottoman posture of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, his political ally, far right leader Devlet Bahceli promised supporters that Tukey would take Jerusalem.
“We will break the teeth of those who threaten us in Jerusalem. We do not tolerate the atrocities of Zionism,” the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and coalition partner of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Devlet Bahceli,.
In his detailed remarks, Bahceli stated:
“History tells us that the first stop on the way to Jerusalem is Damascus. If Damascus is secure, Jerusalem will also be secure when the time comes.
Omar first captured Damascus in 636 and then took Jerusalem in 637. Saladin first took Damascus in 1184 and then captured Jerusalem in 1187. Sultan Selim first conquered Damascus in 1516 and then left his mark on Jerusalem.
Those who bare their teeth at us and wag their fingers should know that we will pull out their teeth. The time to do this in Jerusalem is near. Therefore, Israel must turn away from its mistakes. We do not tolerate the atrocities of Zionism… We are not afraid. Once we get angry, others should think twice.
Our longing for the sight of the Mount of Olives is immense, a geography of our hearts ignited by memories of Jerusalem, and it has reached the point of overflowing with a single drop.
Thus, from the moment Damascus was conquered, the conquest of Jerusalem is close!”
