Monday, April 27, 2009

Neo-Ottomanism Is All We Don't Need

...In February, Asharq Alawsat, a pan-Arab newspaper based in London, took note of changing attitudes in a widely circulated column, “The Return of the Ottoman Empire?

This new mood started at home. Since it first came to power seven years ago, Turkey’s government, led by the liberal-Islamic Justice and Development Party, has taken a different approach to its role in the region. The mastermind of this turnaround—“neo-Ottomanism,” as some in Turkey and the Middle East are calling it—has been Ahmet Davutoglu, the Turkish prime minister’s chief foreign-policy advisor. In his 2001 book, Strategic Depth, he argued that in running away from its historical ties in the region, Turkey was also running away from political and economic opportunity...And, from being on the verge of war with Syria a decade ago, Ankara is now among Damascus’s closest allies in the region.

The Ottoman past is also in the air in Turkey. At a recent government rally, one enthusiastic supporter unfurled a banner proclaiming the prime minister “the last sultan.” Moviegoers have been flocking to see a new spate of Ottoman-themed films, from The Last Ottoman, an action flick set during World War I, to Ottoman Republic, a comedy imagining daily life in modern Turkey if the sultans were still in charge.

Istanbul’s newest cultural attraction is the municipal-run Panorama 1453 History Museum, a granite-clad building just outside the city’s ancient walls that tells the story of the Ottomans’ conquest of Byzantine Constantinople. In the gift shop, visitors can buy everything from cuff links emblazoned with the sultans’ seal to a 1,000-piece puzzle showing Mehmet the Conqueror entering Constantinople on horseback.


Ottomanism?

Just ask the Armenians. Although Obama betrayed them.

And as for Jews?

There was this instance:

On the Passover of 1917, the Turkish rulers of the country ordered the residents of Tel-Aviv to evacuate the city. Almost 8,000 people were listed for expulsion. A sense of dispossession accompanied the eviction notice. The expulsion was in effect exile from the homeland. Anxiety-ridden settlers prepared to leave their homes, although not from Egypt but, for a considerable number, to refuge in Egypt. Many felt the symbolism of their plight...


(and see here and here)

and this:

Dr. Gur Alroey, who chairs the Land of Israel Studies Department at the University of Haifa, says there was nothing heroic about that expulsion. "It's almost impossible to grasp today," he said. "Thousands simply got up and left, without resisting, and maybe that is why nobody likes to remember or recall that expulsion."

They scattered to Tiberias, Safed, Kfar Sava, Petah Tikva, Zichron Yaakov, Jerusalem. Some 2,500 of them, mainly the poor, wandered as far as the northern moshavim, or small farming communities. They had to contend with the climate, hunger, poverty and typhus. They survived the first few months, but in the winter of 1917-18, hundreds died of exposure, disease and hunger. Most of the dead were buried hastily, in unmarked graves around the country.

15 comments:

YMedad said...

I am not a cannibal so you're safe.

Anonymous said...

ain't that the ottomans let the safarrad jews stay in their land while they were escaping from spain?

YMedad said...

Yes. A very good deed.

And then the Ottoman leaders became very difficult for Jews in Palestine.

As for Armenians, what was done was horrific and unjustified. But it was normal Middle East behavior, I guess.

Anonymous said...

I do recall Tayyip Erdogan saying something alond the lines of Jews and Turks should have good relations since the Ottomans helped the Jews and they are part of Turkey now.

Turks opened their arms to the Jews when they were persecuted by the Spanish and nobody else would take them. The Ottomans were too kind. How were they to know that soon the Jews, instead of being forever grateful of the Turks gesture helped to bring the Ottoman empire down. This behaviour is very characteristic of Jews.
The very empire which took them in providing home and hope to the Jewish people!
Jews have no right to hate Turkey or its people. They should respect Turkey and leave her with her own ways. It is obvious Turkey is no threat, they aim to make peace with nations and there is nothing wrong with that.
In the Ottoman times, the Jews (also very characteristically) came to the then Sultan and asked to quite literally 'buy' Palestine. The Sultan quite rightfully refused. That land had been won and conquered bravely by Turkish soldiers. Jews had no right to the land and they still dont. what makes them think that they can so arrogantly just steal land like that! if they needed a place to say Turkey opened up her arms, you need more space? Go to America where Jews are very welcome and there is plenty os space. But Palestine belongs to the Palestinians. And the Turks are kind, peace loving people.

Anonymous said...

you need to brush up on your history mate.Enough said.

YMedad said...

so, you can't find errors so you just brish me off?

Anonymous said...

First of all the comedy you were referring to is a satire and it's tone it of gratitude that the Ottomans are long gone. fool. Second of all I don't care for your dismissive attitude. If you don't want Turks in Israeli affairs I suggest you solve your Palestine problem. If not I swear WE WILL SOLVE IT FOR YOU. We are a pragmatic people and always have been so if you solve your problems you have no need to worry about us. Bug again, we will not allow the Middle East to be in chaos forever.

Anonymous said...

Hi, I read through the most recent blogs of your conversation with ANON and have a question. Is it true the ottoman state opened its doors during the spanish inquisition??

YMedad said...

The greatest influx of Jews into Asia Minor and the Ottoman Empire, occurred during the reign of Mehmed the Conquerors's successor, Beyazid II (1481-1512), after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and Portugal. The Sultan issued a formal invitation to Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal and they started arriving in the empire in great numbers.

The Sultan is said to have exclaimed thus at the Spanish monarch's lack of wisdom: "Ye call Ferdinand a wise king he who makes his land poor and ours rich!".[15][16] The Jews satisfied various needs in the Ottoman Empire: the Muslim Turks were largely uninterested in business enterprises and accordingly left commercial occupations to members of minority religions. They also distrusted the Christian subjects whose countries had only recently been conquered by the Ottomans and therefore it was natural to prefer Jewish subjects to which this consideration did not apply.[17]

see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Turkey#Romaniotes_and_Early_Ottoman_Jewry_.281299-1492.29

Anonymous said...

i was reading an article about the "Red Heifer" and how it has been discovered in recent years.. have you heard anything? Also, it states that it will be slaughtered very soon.. do you know when? And last but not least, what is the significance? hasd it got anything to do with the long awaited Mesiah??

YMedad said...

I have no update information. Maybe one of the Temple Mount sites. It is necessary component for the purification process so as to conduct regular sacrifices as well as allow entrance into the more sacred portions of the compound.

Anonymous said...

??

Anonymous said...

NEO-OTTOMANISM IS ALL WE NEED!

The Ottomans were one of the best things that ever happened to this world..

At a time when Europe was plunged into the "Dark Ages" the ottomans were flourishing with pride.. Pride of helping the oppressed and supporting the weak.
When the jews were persecuted in all parts of Europe such as, England, Poland & Spain, it was the Ottoman Muslims who opened their their arms and embraced you.
You talk about courageous jews.. WHERE & WHEN?? You seem to have forgotten to mention that had it not been for Great Britain & America you guys would not have been able to establish your misguided state (it's worth mentioning here that even your brothers the "Orthodox Jews" do not recognise israel as such a state should not even exist as it is contrary to your beliefs, Judaism, thats if you have any beliefs!)

I am seriously concerned for you and like minded people!
You seem to have some intellect but rather than use it for good, it seems to please you when you misuse such information and disstort the truth. Im sure Your deity is very pleased with such actions.
Furthermore, even though you may not want to admit, im sure you already know that the Ottomans are on their way back...
If i were in your shoes i would start by behaving more humane and pray that the Ottomans return so that when israel diminishes they will open their arms and once again save your asses!!

SPREAD THE WORD

YMedad said...

I never realized there were so many pro-Ottomans around.

And I just love it when people threaten me to be happy and pleased.

Anonymous said...

Dear friend.. you have got me all wrong..
i am not trying to threaten you but only trying to awaken you, you dont want to be left out do you??
Everyone is awakening... only one left.. You :)