By Soliman Aboutaam
Although I am focusing on Palestinian solidarity in Turkey, it seems that nationalism and Palestinian solidarity are intertwined as two different extensions of a very politically charged city.
After only two days, I have photographed over 20 different signs and murals that support the Palestinian cause, from the more typical “Free Palestine” posters to pictures of ragged, displaced Gazan children to “Terrorist Israel.” However, between these posters I found hundreds of bright, red Turkish flags and flyers for the upcoming district elections, with zoomed in faces of the candidates.
The reasons for this physical juxtaposition became more evident after interviewing a number of members of the ultra-nationalist, anti-immigrant “Zafer Partisi” group. When I asked a member about one of their stances on Palestinian solidarity in Turkey, they said that they support the Palestinian people and their fight for freedom, but that letting one million Palestinian refugees into the country, as President Erdogan has proposed, would be a threat to the identity of the Turkish people.
Similarly, letting Syrians in would also not be ok because “we don’t have enough money to support them…we don’t have enough food and infrastructure.” Another member compared the efforts of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), who they vehemently disapproved of, and called “traitors” with no benefits to their cause, to the actions of Hamas. Yet, they called Hamas freedom fighters and said that they would have fought for them too if born in the same circumstances. Ironically, both groups state the same mission of creating a state for their stateless people.
It seems that for some in Turkey, Turkish nationalism and considerations of Turkish foreign and domestic policy, outweigh the practicalities of Palestinian refugees, if not the sentiments.