Stratfor Middle East Analyst Toba Hellerstein examines the larger strategic concerns at play as Israel and Turkey negotiate a Gaza seaport.
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For more in depth analysis on this topic, read For Israel and Turkey, Any Port in a Diplomatic Storm
Video Transcript
What significance does the proposed Gaza seaport have for the relationship between Turkey and Israel?
The possibility of a Gaza seaport aims to address the final Turkish demand to Israel within the countries political negotiations. Ever since Turkish-Israeli relations plummeted following the flotilla raid in 2010 which led to the death of 10 Turks, Ankara has made several demands to Israel in order to reinstate diplomatic relations. Israel has already met the first two demands, an apology and compensation for victims' families, but it was Turkey's most ambitious demand of lifting the blockade on Gaza that has stalled political negotiations between the countries. Israel imposed the after Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007 in order to prevent weapons from entering the territory. The blockade also aimed to de-popularize Hamas among Gazans.
How would the Gaza seaport work?
The Gaza seaport is an idea that has been gaining traction, but it is not a new idea. It was originally conceived as part of the 1993 Oslo Accords. The port would likely be several miles offshore from the Gaza Strip, constructed on an artificial island, and connected to Gaza through a bridge. Key to an agreement will be the supervision of the port and inspection of goods. While Israel wants to make sure that materials for weapons won't be brought to Gaza, Turkey wants to ensure that other goods and supplies can pass through. Turkey has long criticized the humanitarian impact that the blockade has had on Gazans, and Ankara has viewed its championing of the Palestinian cause as an important part of its ability to expand influence in the Arab Middle East.
What are the barriers to creating a Gaza seaport?
In addition to Israeli security concerns surrounding materials entering Gaza, Israel (not to mention the Palestinian Authority) is also concerned that granting the Hamas-ruled Gaza a seaport would give the group a political victory. That said, the Turkish-Israeli relationship is viewed by both countries as a strategic priority, and therefore the countries' negotiations in the past months have increasingly focused on the prospect of the Gaza seaport as a way to reinstate relations and allow the countries to build a closer partnership on strategic regional issues. While Turkey and Israel will continue to have disagreements and tensions, the Gaza Seaport could very well be a key part of the relaunching of Turkish-Israeli relations.
