The panel titled “Zionism in the Light of the Sykes–Picot Agreement and the Balfour Declaration: The Design of the Imperialist Project in Palestine” was held on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, at the ASBÜ Sezai Karakoç Hall.

The panel addressed the historical and political processes of the Middle East as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In the opening remarks, ANFİDAP President Ali Dalaz emphasized that what is happening in Gaza is a humanitarian issue, underlined their opposition to this oppression, and drew attention to the necessity of unity. In his opening speech, ASBÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Musa Kazım Arıcan stated that the region is facing difficult times ahead and stressed that the historical impacts of the Sykes–Picot Agreement should not be overlooked.

Moderating the panel, the Head of the Department of International Relations of our Faculty, Prof. Dr. Muhittin Ataman, noted that the impact of the Sykes–Picot Agreement on the Middle East continues to this day and that the Balfour Declaration constitutes one of the cornerstones of Zionism. He emphasized that these agreements played a role in the occupation of Palestinian territories.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammed Hüseyin Mercan, a faculty member of the Department of International Relations at AYBÜ Faculty of Political Sciences, referred to the effects of developments in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries on Jewish communities, stating that aspirations to establish a Jerusalem-centered state were strengthened during this period.

Referring to the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza, the Dean of our Faculty, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Akif Kireçci, stated that Israel’s attacks, ongoing for 400 days, have continued amid the silence of the international community, and that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations—particularly promoted by Western states—have remained ineffective in the face of attacks on civilians in Gaza.

Middle East researcher and author Süleyman Arslantaş pointed out that the parties to the Sykes–Picot Agreement signed among Western states in 1916 remain loyal to it, emphasizing that one of the main reasons for the crises in the region is Israel and the states supporting it, as well as the insufficient influence of Arab administrations.

The panel also highlighted the importance of civil society in the Palestinian cause and emphasized the need to strengthen solidarity.