Ignoring every kind of diplomatic courtesy and practice, the Israeli Foreign Minister’s comparing Turkey’s Prime Minister to a pharaoh means that either he has great self-confidence or he is not aware of what is happening in the world. In this sense ironically a “Saddam psychology” dominates Israeli rulers. It is a misleading delusion that sees the world from its own narrow window and is imprisoned in the narrow horizon of its own story of power and legitimacy.

Rather than Turkey’s becoming like a pharaoh, the observation that Israel has become a pharaoh against the Palestinians is a much more appropriate and real fact. However, those who know that in a diplomatic sense every word must have its counterpart are acting with a kind of pirate state complex.

Turkey is faced with a position of being able to call to account this insult. Regardless of this insult, the current diplomatic opportunity actually places responsibility on Turkey.

Israel is preparing to become a member of the OEDC, one of the most important international organizations (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). Waiting at the door 20 years for membership to this organization, Israel’s being accepted to this club under normal circumstances is difficult. To become a member of this heavily Western European organization, a country has to have certain conditions. For example, Russia, Estonia and Chile are among countries waiting in line to become a member.

Making its last signature on January 19, 2010, Israel came to a critical stage for membership. OECD General Secretary Angel Gurria said, “We hope that with the completion of all necessary tasks in 2010 its membership will be accepted,” and she pointed to May as the date for this.

Actually it is a matter of curiosity as to which conditions Israel fulfilled for becoming a member of an internationally prestigious organization like the OECD. For example, Israel’s role of an occupying force in Palestine will indirectly gain legitimacy with the acceptance by such an organization. Moreover, its attitude on the subject of Jerusalem and Jewish settlement policies means open sanction of the occupation.

More important than all of these, being accepted for membership in spite of its openly racist and divisive policies in regard to both Arabs who are Israeli citizens and Palestinians living in occupied land will raise questions about the basic theses of member countries. Even though there has not been the slightest improvement in the practices of discrimination it has displayed before the eyes of the world in which Zionist colonialism has made economic, political and cultural oppression, Israel’s having come to the stage of acceptance by the organization after 20 years is a problem in itself.

With the prestige that membership will bring, Israel will be at one of the final stages of rising from the position of a rejected racist country which began with the deceptive peace process after 1990 to the position of a country with a role in the global arena. The whole world has a right to know which membership conditions a war criminal administration has fulfilled in a country where Zionism –which confirms that Israel has a racist ideology- is the official ideology and where, on the one hand, it imposes economic and social poverty on 4 million Palestinians with merciless methods and, on the other hand, it practices discrimination against its own Arab citizens.

How ever much it appears that the process has been completed by Israel’s fulfilling membership conditions, everything is not over.

Turkey has a historical responsibility, for in order for a new member to be accepted by the OECD, the approval of all members must be obtained. Just one member using its right of veto is enough for the rejection of membership.

Turkey whose Prime Minister was compared to a pharaoh should take Israel to account for its racist practices in a land it occupies and for the war crimes it committed. In this respect, the government has an important opportunity to teach Israel a lesson, and not only OECD members are being tested, but so is Turkey. The England-based IHRC organization has begun a campaign to remind Turkey of its responsibility. Campaigns that encourage the government on this subject should be supported.

Otherwise, the embargo, racist practices and occupation of Palestine will give Israel a return in the form of economic prestige and a good credit note.

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