“The Turks are still pressing the US administration to be involved. They haven't given up,” one regional diplomat told The Jerusalem Post.
Turkey was not invited to a Tuesday conference organized by US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Qatar regarding the International Stabilization Force (ISF) that is set to be deployed in the Gaza Strip
Mid-level officials from 32 countries attended the meeting, where they discussed key elements of the force's potential deployment, including command structure, rules of engagement, locations within Gaza, and the force’s role in disarming Hamas.
Mid-level officials from 32 countries attended the meeting, where they discussed key elements of the force's potential deployment, including command structure, rules of engagement, locations within Gaza, and the force’s role in disarming Hamas.
The absence of a Turkish delegation suggests that organizers accepted Israel’s objections to Ankara’s participation. Still, the issue appears unresolved. “The Turks are still pressing the US administration to be involved. They haven't given up,” one regional diplomat told The Jerusalem Post. A second diplomat echoed that Ankara continues to lobby Washington behind the scenes.
Last week, at the Jerusalem Post conference in Washington, US Special Envoy for Syria and Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack expressed his backing for Turkish involvement. “Turkey has no aggressive policy toward Israel; the last thing on their mind is the Ottoman Empire,” he said. “Our proposal is that Turkish forces could help reduce tensions. I understand why Israel doesn’t trust them, but it could certainly be helpful.” (Ed note: who is this Tom Barrack? "In July, Barrack said the Iranian terror proxy Hezbollah “needs to see that there’s a future for them.” Now it's "Turkey has no aggressive policy toward Israel.") (Source)
