In the game theory, a well known discipline in economics, one actor should “hope for the best, prepare for the worst”. Turkey had done both, yet played it out with a “win-win” scheme.

To begin with, the encroachment of the Turks in the Middle East already takes place in all spheres. In Ankara there is a notion that their acceptance to the European Union is a non-realistic hope, therefore, all efforts should be diverted to other arenas. The Middle East is the perfect place to do that.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan understands that in order to become a “global middleman” he needs to intervene in places where the international organizations had failed. Iran, Israel, Gaza and Iraq, are the perfect place to gain international credibility. You do not have to solve the conflict, you should try to mitigate it long enough in order to become the sole known actor.

Secondly, Israel's international problematic image is the perfect place to matriculate your own failures; the Turks are still entwined with Cyprus and with the Kurds, with human rights issues, and with an increasing Islamic demand to be represented in the decision-making process in the state. The Israelis has less and less heard where the Turks could be standing if the Oslo process would succeed.

It is reasonable to assume that all eyes would divert on Turkey once the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be underway to be solved, mainly because of their request to join the EU or at least stay in NATO one the one hand and their internal-external problems on the other…

Finally, the Turks face an internal problem. Erdogan leads a steady, though internally-controversial Islamic line. The army and the secular elites are dangerously eroding in the national policy-making process. Turkey rapidly closes the gap to become an Islamic state.

Turkey is changing. The Gaza flotilla story is just a symptom. The road to Iran, Syria and Gaza, goes through Tel Aviv and the West.