The Levant Files

The fragile balance of the Middle East was jolted yet again this week after Israeli fighter jets carried out an airstrike on September 9 in the Qatari capital Doha. The target was a building housing Hamas officials engaged in delicate ceasefire talks. The attack, which killed at least six people—including Hamas political bureau member Khalil al-Hayya and a Qatari security officer—occurred just blocks away from the embassies of Turkey and France. The strike has sparked outrage not only in Qatar but also in Ankara, where Turkish officials warned of escalating regional instability.   As veteran journalist Murat Yetkin reported in Yetkin Report on September 10, the building hit was not just a Hamas office. It was also at the heart of an international diplomatic mission: ongoing negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt, aimed at pursuing a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Yetkin noted that the two countries have been pivotal go-betweens. Still, following the strike, Qatar abruptly s...

An extraordinary political realignment may be underway in Turkey, centered on an alleged offer from Abdullah Öcalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Reports indicate that Öcalan has conveyed a message offering to support Erdoğan's potential re-election, provided progress is made on a new "Turkey without terror" initiative. A pro-Kurdish DEM Party delegation reportedly delivered the message following a visit to Öcalan's İmralı prison island on July 6. Prominent journalist Murat Yetkin detailed the explosive claim. Yetkin writes that the message represents a dramatic reversal of the 2015 declaration by former pro-Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtaş, "We will not make you president," a statement widely seen as derailing the previous peace process. Öcalan's new stance is being interpreted as a significant expression of regret over the collapse of that dialogue. An unexpected player has unloc...

Qatar announced Tuesday it has suspended its critical mediation efforts in the Gaza war, a dramatic move following a confirmed Israeli airstrike that targeted senior Hamas leadership on Qatari soil. The attack plunges fragile negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release into profound uncertainty, even as demonstrators continue to call for the captives' return. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet confirmed the operation in the Qatari capital. An Israeli official identified one of the targets as senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, whose status remains unconfirmed. Images from the scene showed a heavily damaged building in Doha. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, issued a blistering condemnation, labeling the strike a "cowardly Israeli attack" and a "blatant violation of all international laws and norms." He declared that Qatar "will not tolerate this reckless Israeli behavior and the ongoing disruption of regional securi...

The leader of Turkey's main opposition party, Özgür Özel, has leveled serious accusations against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, claiming he is orchestrating a "legal coup" to dismantle the country's political opposition and establish a one-party system akin to Russia. The remarks, made in a recent interview, have intensified the already fraught political climate in the nation, sparking concerns about the future of its democracy. In an interview with the Financial Times, Özel, the chairman of the Republican People's Party (CHP), stated that his party would resist these moves through mass protests and "cunning" legal strategies. He asserted that the CHP is the "last obstacle" preventing Erdoğan from consolidating complete power. Özel's strong words came in response to a controversial court ruling that retroactively invalidated the 2023 appointment of the CHP's Istanbul provincial head, a decision seen by the opposition as a politically...

A series of high-level diplomatic meetings and security discussions over the past week has fueled speculation that Türkiye may be preparing for a new cross-border military operation in northeastern Syria. The potential campaign would reportedly target positions held by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and its affiliate, the People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers a security threat linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). While no official announcement has been made, the convergence of military planning and diplomatic outreach suggests a serious consideration of renewed action in the region. According to emerging reports, a potential operation could be structured in multiple phases. The first and primary stage would allegedly focus on a comprehensive campaign against SDF and YPG positions in northeastern Syria. Subsequent phases are reportedly under consideration, potentially expanding the scope to other areas in the country, including coastal regions and ...

In a series of critical hours for Turkish democracy, a judicial ruling has morphed into a full-scale political crisis in Istanbul. Over the past 24 hours, the judiciary and security forces have executed a court order to suspend the elected leadership of the main opposition party's Istanbul branch, installing a trustee in their place. The move has ignited mass protests, a heavy-handed police blockade of the party's headquarters, and widespread internet restrictions, plunging the city into a tense standoff that tests the nation's democratic foundations. The Judicial Takeover The crisis began on September 3, when an Istanbul court annulled the results of the Republican People's Party (CHP) 2023 provincial congress. Citing "approximately substantiated" allegations of procedural irregularities and vote buying, the court suspended the elected provincial board led by Özgür Çelik. In a move branded by the opposition as a political coup, the court appointed former lawm...

A performance by the Turkish music group Manifest at an adults-only concert has sparked an official investigation and ignited a heated debate across Turkey regarding public morality, artistic freedom, and the application of the law. The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched the probe following the circulation of images from the +18 event on social media. According to a report by the Turkish news outlet T24, the investigation was initiated ex officio (on the prosecutor's own accord) against the band members on charges of "Indecent Acts" and "Exhibitionism" under the Turkish Penal Code. The controversy stems from the on-stage actions of the performers, which some have deemed offensive to public morality, prompting both official condemnation and a staunch defense from legal and civil society circles. The case quickly drew high-level political attention. Oktay Saral, a Chief Advisor to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, publicly denounced the group...