Turkish Parliament’s Risky Move to Engage PKK Leader Ocalan Threatens Regional Stability

In a bold yet deeply troubling development, a Turkish parliamentary committee has voted to meet with Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan in prison, signaling a renewed attempt at peace that masks serious risks for national and international security. Ocalan, imprisoned since 1999 on Imrali Island near Istanbul, is no mere political figurehead; as founder of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), he is responsible for decades of bloodshed and insecurity in the region. While proponents claim this delegation could heal long-standing ethnic conflicts, one must ask: does engaging with a convicted terrorist truly advance peace or merely embolden insurgency? The PKK—designated...