The recent propaganda on Arab social media is a call to boycott Turkish products. It is clear that the propaganda is Saudi-based, and being run by the media trolls affiliated with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt; however the reason is being justified as a reaction to Turkey’s hostile attitude towards Saudi Arabia, and presented as a boycott by Arabs and Saudi citizens against “everything Turkish.”

Let us first note that Arab nations and Saudi citizens have nothing to do with this campaign. On the contrary, when the first messages of this campaign started coming through, Arab people started an even stronger counter-campaign titled, “Buy Turkish products.”

However, there are strong signs that this campaign is led by the Saudi administration. Numerous officials have joined this campaign on social media, and they not only are they personally calling to boycott Turkish products, we are also receiving news that all businessmen doing business with Turkey through the Chamber of Commerce were invited by Saudi security units and pressured with threats to end their exchange with Turkey.

Those who own real estate in Turkey are also being pressured to let go of these properties. The overwhelming majority of Saudi citizens who attended these meetings are having difficulty making any sense of the situation.

It is clear that Saudi Arabia holds Turkey responsible especially for the situation it placed itself in with the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and that it is thus holding a grudge against Turkey. Yet, Turkey did nothing but demand justice be served against Saudi Arabia in the Khashoggi issue.

Surely they would not be thinking that they could get Turkey to step back with these sanctions. Essentially, at the time when all dimensions of the murder were being revealed, Turkey had refused their negotiation offer, which started by boosting the trade relations between the two countries, based completely on ethical reasons. An extremely brutal murder was committed, and not only did Saudi Arabia disregard its mastermind but furthermore hindered justice from being served. Since the acceptance of the negotiation offer that was rejected back then is still out of the question today, it is clear that we are facing a revenge or punishment in the form of a boycott.

Saudi Arabia, which failed to serve justice in the Khashoggi matter, thinking now that it can punish those demanding justice with an economic boycott, reveals another state of ignorance. That is the ignorance of thinking that sustenance is in their hands alone.

This attitude, this arrogance is the result of the idea that the most important card they can pull is the economy, and that they can provide livelihood and take it away from whomever they wish.

In fact, was it not the same ignorance that caused the arrogance leading them to so loutishly commit that murder in Istanbul? What made them commit that murder so comfortably, knowing that someone was waiting outside for Khashoggi, is the idea that even if the event was to be revealed in the last instance, it could be overcome with the power of money. For them, money can fix everything and they have it. Since they have money, nobody would want to spoil ties with them for someone who was murdered.

It is obvious that they took care of all their similar shady affairs in numerous countries in this manner.

This is the reason behind that comfort, that carelessness, that arrogance.

They think they hold the power to countries’ livelihood. Yet, it is God who provided them with that sustenance. However, they have become blind to the truth that the one who gave them this affluence today can also take it away.

Regardless of how much their administrators call to boycott Turkish products, Arab people continue to buy them. They run to buy these goods with counter-campaigns. Therefore, Saudi Arabia is trying to carry on the campaign through state power, and even then, they do not hold back on the lies.

They are carrying on their own campaigns under the title, “Arab people’s boycott.” Frankly, Turkish goods have proven their quality and beauty in the eyes of Arab peoples.

More importantly, as Turkey has won over the hearts of Arab nations with its policies in recent years, its policies in Palestine, Syria, Somalia, Qatar, Libya, and all oppressed regions, there is a special demand for its products.

The steps some administrators are taking against this love will serve no purpose other than to humiliate themselves further in the eyes of their own people.