Turkey sought outreach to Egypt and the UAE this week, both of whom appointed ambassadors and are in the midst of restoring full diplomatic ties. Turkey is also seeking to send its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was recently re-elected, to the UAE later this month, according to reports at Gulf-based Al-Ain. The trip to the UAE will include the signing of new bilateral agreements.
These two seemingly minor or trivial developments are actually quite significant because Ankara used to have chilly ties with Cairo and Abu Dhabi, especially between 2013 and 2021. But, since Ankara shifted its policies, it is seeking reconciliation across the region, including with Israel.
Another significant player, Iran, is also conducting fresh diplomatic outreach to the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. These together mark a new era for the Middle East, one marked more by diplomacy and less by frontal war.
Growing criticism of Israel in the region
For Israel, this presents some contrasts and challenges. Israel’s operation in Jenin brought intense criticism in the region. Iran has looked to capitalize on this by trying to make inroads in the Gulf, while criticism of Israel is simultaneously growing in some Gulf media.
What this means is that Turkey and Iran may be growing their ties with countries that have relations with Israel – like Egypt and the UAE. It remains unclear if important international forums – like the Negev Forum – will soon renew their meetings; the Negev Forum includes Israel, the Gulf, and Egypt.
On the same plane, Israel-Saudi ties have often been mentioned in media lately, while the US tapped former US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro to come to the State Department to advance regional integration. It is in this context that Turkey’s move sits.
According to the Al-Ain report, Ankara sees the UAE as an important player and that the UAE seeks fruitful ties to “strengthen its partnerships, expand its relations with various brotherly and friendly countries, and strengthen bridges of cooperation with it in all fields, based on Turkey’s regional and global presence and importance.”
In Egypt, commentators also see the appointment of ambassadors as significant with the new Turkish Ambassador to Egypt named Salih Mutlu Sen and the Egyptian Ambassador named Amr al-Hamami. A presidential meeting may come soon as well.