Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7 has mostly received a welcoming reaction in Turkey. While President Erdogan has called on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides to exercise restraint, other Turkish political leaders have mostly supported the Palestinians. They deliberately avoided criticizing Hamas militants for violence against Israeli civilians.

Hamas’ın İsrail’e Saldırısına İlişkin instituDE Uzmanları Enes Esen, Haşim Tekineş ve Mehmet Çelik'in Değerlendirmeleri

Sudan's army chief, General al-Burhan, paid an official visit to Turkey on September 13. The Sudanese delegation included Foreign Minister al-Sadiq, intelligence chief Lieutenant General Mufaddal, and most importantly, Director General of the Defense Industries Corporation, Lieutenant General Mirghani Idris Suleiman. This composition suggested that the head of the Sudanese army's visit to Ankara was not merely a charm offensive but also aimed at securing weapons purchases.

President al-Sisi has faced extensive criticism for leading his country toward an authoritarian path. One of his fiercest critics was Turkey’s President Erdoğan, who did not mince his words about al-Sisi, calling him a tyrant, an oppressor, and a murderer. After a decade of feuding, the two leaders have apparently mended the fences. President Sisi was scheduled to visit Turkey on July 27th, marking the beginning of a new era between Cairo and Ankara. However, at the eleventh hour, he chose to cancel his trip.

About eight years after the migration deal with Turkey in 2016, the European Union seeks to make a similar agreement, this time with Tunisia. President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte paid a visit to Tunis on June 11 and had discussions with Tunisian President Kais Saied. The main topic was a “comprehensive partnership package” in which the EU has offered financial assistance of more than 1 billion euros to assist the ailing Tunisian economy in return for ending the migrant crossings to Europe.

Turkey and the Gulf countries have initiated a normalization process since the al-Ula Summit in late 2020. The leaders have mended fences through high-level visits, diplomatic overtures, promises of investments, and dozens of agreements. Turkey has already started to reap the benefits of normalization in terms of economic and diplomatic relations. It is difficult to forecast how long this period of authoritarian peace will last, but it is promising to witness the success of diplomacy in the region.