Turkey Demands Peace in Middle East Before Approving Sweden’s NATO Membership
Sweden’s bid to join NATO has hit a major roadblock as Turkey imposes new demands before agreeing to the Scandinavian country’s membership. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently presented the Swedish application to NATO to his parliament, but with conditions that are proving to be monumental obstacles.
In addition to the demand for American F-16 planes upon Sweden’s membership ratification, Turkish nationalist party MHP, led by Devlet Bahceli, is now requiring a permanent peace agreement between Israel and Palestine before granting approval for Sweden’s NATO membership. This is a significant condition, as the AKP party of President Erdoğan relies on MHP votes in parliament for a positive outcome.
Furthermore, the MHP is demanding that Palestine be recognized as an independent state, Israel must pay reparations for the war, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should face trial before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Only if these conditions are met, will the MHP consider approving Sweden’s admission into NATO.
This is not the first time the MHP has posed challenges to Sweden’s NATO membership bid. In the past, Sweden has been criticized by the party, with Bahceli referring to Stockholm as “the PKK’s cave in Europe.” These new demands, however, add another layer of complexity to Sweden’s hopes for joining NATO.
As the Turkish parliament deliberates over Sweden’s application, the Scandinavian country is faced with the daunting task of meeting the demands set by Turkey and its nationalist party. The situation has highlighted the intricate political dynamics and international diplomacy involved in the process of joining an alliance like NATO.