At the beginning of the twentieth century, the long chapter of Ottoman history in the Arab countries came to a close, and radical transformations in Arab-Turkish relations began. The book starts its chapters from these transformations, beginning at the moment the Ottoman Empire was on its deathbed due to the internal decay of its authority and the profound European influence on its political, economic, and cultural structures. This resulted in a state of weakness that led writers and diplomats of the era to describe the Ottoman Sultanate as the "sick man of Europe".

The book uses a historical lens to paint a preliminary picture essential for understanding the political milestones of Arab-Turkish relations. It traces the root of the tension to crucial historical backgrounds, such as the Young Turk Revolution against Abdul Hamid II and the Great Arab Revolt, which led Jamal Pasha to adopt policies that cast a heavy shadow on the lost goodwill between Arabs and Turks.

The book then examines the period of Mustafa Kemal's hostility towards Arabs and Muslims, the secession of the Sanjak of Alexandretta in 1939, Turkey's recognition of the Zionist entity in 1948, its entry into NATO, and the emergence of the issue of the Euphrates River's flow towards Syria and Iraq.

The author addresses a fundamental chapter in the lack of trust between Turks and Arabs, particularly with Syria, which is the security, military, and strategic alliance between Turkey and the Zionist entity. This is followed by the Kurdish issue within Turkey with the Workers' Party starting in 1984, Turkey's accusations against Arab parties for supporting the Kurdish rebellion, and the escalation of this crisis with repeated Turkish incursions into northern Iraq to pursue Kurdish rebels.

Amidst this turmoil, a chapter that deviated from the general context was the normalization phase between Syria and Turkey after the signing of the Adana Agreement in 1998. The book then moves into the twenty-first century, analyzing the Turkish-Syrian path specifically, and its strategic significance with Bashar al-Assad's rise to power in the summer of 2000.

Ultimately, the author provides readers with a comprehensive reference journey, offering a deep understanding and a very rich record of a complex relationship that has yet to find stable ground.

• Publishing house: Company for Publications Distribution & Publishing
• Number of Pages: 448
• Year of publication: 2005
• ISBN: 9789953885292
• Cover Type: Paperback