Israel Update: Schueftan vs. Doran on Turkey

Peloni:  Highly recommended video.  Haifa University’s Dan Schueftan and Mike Doran provide a very contemplative, in-depth, and productive debate over Mike’s proposal of strengthening Turkey by empowering their role in Syria rather than confronting it.  Haifa University’s Dan Schueftan offers the balancing counter argument against Mike’s position, and he does so by raising the reality of Erdogan being Muslim Brotherhood which Mike disputes by suggesting that Erdogan is both a nationalist and a pragmatist despite his nearly consistent anti-Israel actions.  Dan challenges Mike with Erdogan’s extensive record of repeatedly acting against Israel to which Mike responds that Erdogan is not all powerful in Turkey.  Dan suggests the best policy for Israel is to have a weak Syria, and opposing Erdogan in every way possible in Turkey while resisting any move to strengthen the PKK in Turkey itself.  Mike once again responds that by doing so Israel risks turning the Turkish security apparatus against Israel.  He also challenges that Trump will pursue a policy which will ultimately empower Turkey in Syria, and that Israel will fail in its attempts to frustrate Erdogan’s ambitions in Turkey in any event, and that Israel should pursue common goals with the Turks in Syria, thus making Syria a buffer state.  Ultimately, the question comes back to Erdogan and the question of his Muslim Brotherhood affiliations.  The fundamental disagreements in this single aspect of Erdogan’s nature is what sets Dan apart from Mike on this topic, and it is why he emphatically opposes Mike’s proposal.  I completely agree with Dan – Muslim Brotherhood pose a significant threat to Israel and the West, in every iteration of its ideology.  I

It would be helpful to hear what other listeners have to comment on this debate.