The Department of International Relations held the seminar “Orta Doğu’da Son Gelişmeler” in October. Within the seminar, Prof. Dr. Özlem Tür, Dr. Serhat Erkmen and Department Chair Prof. Dr. Özgür Özdamar discussed the latest issues in the Middle East under the moderation of Dr. Tuğba Bayar. They first emphasized the escalation of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which has expanded regionally with the involvement of Hezbollah and Iran, then provided a comprehensive analysis regarding the new actors in the conflict.
Özlem Tür and Serhat Erkmen shared their specific views on Turkey’s stance regarding the war and the possible outcomes for Turkey and Turkish foreign policy in regard to the current case of the region, referring to Turkey’s potential actions in the near future. While Özlem Tür mentioned China’s role as a mediator within the conflict, Özgür Özdamar addressed the case for the US and US foreign policy, specifically highlighting the country’s limited capability to influence.
Overall, the seminar provided an opportunity for students to engage with leading scholars of the field to review the latest issues in the Middle East through a comprehensive discussion.