The Ottoman sanctities haven't been so well... never
The speech of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on the eve of the start of the Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference, was one of the theatrical scenes that the Middle East is famous for. An emotional talk about the Islamic sanctities and the need to protect Al-Quds, while his country has strong relations with the occupying Power of Al-Quds.
Erdogan said that failure of Muslim countries to stand with Al-Quds means that one day they will face another challenge, another threat, and the targeting of Makkah. It was strange to mention Makkah in a context that has nothing to do with it, as Makkah is not under occupation and is not subjected to a security threat.
This is not the first time for the Turkish president, who shows a great inclination to the organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, to mention Makkah, trying to show himself concerning for its protection, and for his own reasons.
That speech was one of many other speeches in which the Turkish president’s subconscious utters, revealing his great dream: Makkah. For Erdogan, Makkah is a great ambition that he dreams of. These fantasies are due to the fact that he is trying to portray himself as the Muslim Caliph, who will be able to gather the word of Islamic countries and lead them. He feels that he is the emperor of the Islamic world as a whole.
It is strange that the man concerned about Makkah is the same man who held a meeting with the Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei in the city of Mashhad during the years of the Arab Spring. They talked about Saudi Arabia which considered for them as a booty to be shared. The Saudis knew about this meeting, and King Abdullah privately expressed his anger with Erdogan who did not return to Riyadh until the death of King Abdullah.
A quick look at modern history indicates that Erdogan's ancestors and the political system he inherited, are the ones who squandered the Islamic sanctities. They squandered not only Al-Quds but also all the three Islamic holy sites. Al-Quds fell under the reign of a ruler ruled from Turkey. Makkah fell under the reign of a ruler ruled from Turkey. The inhabitants of the city of the Messenger of Allah suffered from all kinds of torture by a Turkish state and Turkish soldiers.
It did not stop there, but all the Islamic monuments were stolen from Makkah and Medina, and they were transferred to Turkey. These monuments have not yet been restored. I would like to see a simple gesture of goodwill from the Turkish president, which is to return these monuments to the anticipated Islamic Museum in Saudi Arabia. Those who steal Islamic monuments will not protect Islamic sanctities.
Moreover, Turkish-Israeli relations are very strong. Turkey is the largest Muslim country which has relations with Israel. Also, it is the most Muslim country that has military cooperation with the occupying state, and its air was the most frequently used for transporting Israeli citizens.
On the other side, we find the great protection that the Kingdom provides to the visitors of Makkah and Medina. In addition to taking care of these two holy cities, a huge budget has been allocated to meet all their needs. The Two Holy Mosques have also witnessed the largest expansion in Islamic history during the period of the Saudi state.
The difference between Erdogan and the Saudis is that they do not like the microphones and speeches, but rather dislike them. They see that what they are doing towards the Muslim world, and the Islamic sanctities, is their duty, and it is unworthy to turn into a propaganda platform.
