Animosity between Turkey and Arab countries is not reflected by the local population, Middle East Monitor said on Wednesday.
Turkey was roundly condemned during last week’s meeting of the Arab League, where Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called for Turkish troops to withdraw from Arab countries.
Ankara recently threatened to expand its military operations in Northern Iraq and Turkish forces are deployed alongside rebel groups in Northern Syria.
Turkey has also intervened in Libya, providing crucial military support to the Government of National Accord (GNA). While Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and other Arab countries have backed the rival Libyan National Army (LNA) led by General Khalifa Haftar.
However, Ibrahim Aref, chief editor of Egypt’s Al-Bayan newspaper, told Middle East Monitor that Arab governments’ opposition to Turkey was not necessarily mirrored by their people.
“We should judge Turkish activities in the Arab world on the basis of the views of the people, not the views of the politicians,” Aref said. “Away from the leaders’ positions and political stances, there are good relations between the people.”
Abdullah Baqqali, head of the Union of Moroccan Journalists, told Middle East Monitor that not all Arab countries took the same tough stance against Turkey, and these differences reflected their own disputes.
“There will be no genuine Arab-Turkish rapprochement until there is Arab-Arab rapprochement. We Arabs need a joint strong body to represent us,” Baqqali said.