Physical Address
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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for regional unity against Israel’s expansionist policies in Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and most recently, Qatar.
“The region’s countries and the global community must address Israel’s expansionist policies,” Fidan told Egyptian network MBC MASR TV on Thursday, calling for appropriate measures against Israel.
Fidan said the recent Israeli attack on Hamas leadership in Doha “has changed many things, while mediation efforts are ongoing.”
Pointing out the international actors’ failure to resolve Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war and other conflicts, Fidan said the current system shows a tendency to “fuel crises rather than provide solutions.”
Fidan also argued that the latest incidents demonstrate that the U.S. may not have control over Israel’s policies as commonly believed; the reality may even be the opposite.
“As you know, there has been a long-standing reality in American domestic politics regarding who controls and manages whom. Recent events have shown that the U.S. does not have as much influence over Israel’s policies as assumed; it may even be the opposite,” Fidan said, commenting on discussions continuing with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding peace in Gaza and stability in Syria.
Stressing that Israel has always been a problem for the region since it seized Palestinian lands, Fidan said all regional countries support the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.
“However, Israel has never genuinely wanted a two-state solution. It has consistently pursued a policy of seizing Palestinian lands beyond the 1967 borders, using security as an excuse,” Fidan said.
“At this point, this has been the biggest problem for the Islamic world for decades. In recent years, Israeli expansionism has become an official threat to the region, besides the ongoing oppression in Palestine,” he added.
Underlining the importance of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Fidan said the meeting highlighted Israel’s expansionism.
“We will continue to oppose and work against the ongoing genocide in Gaza and Israel’s attempts to annex the West Bank, and we will strive for the realization of a Palestinian state. This is indispensable for regional peace,” he added.
Regional, global reactions
Fidan also criticized Israel’s policies and called on the global community to take precautions in this case: “This is extremely important. It is neither good for Israel nor for the countries of the region. Unfortunately, Israel draws its security from the political and economic weaknesses and technological backwardness of countries close to it.
‘’For instance, its occupation in Lebanon, its presence in Syria, attacks against Iran, the continuous targeting of civilian areas in Yemen, systematic destruction of infrastructure, and most recently, the attack on Qatar.”
He argued the possibility of an ‘’integrated political system’’ proposed by several members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League to secure the territorial integrity and sovereignty.
“The structure of the U.N., particularly the Security Council, seems inadequate in solving these issues. Reform of the Security Council and the U.N. as a whole is necessary,” Fidan explained.
“If such reforms do not happen, as you mentioned, it is inevitable that alternative regional actors will emerge – such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN and many others not listed here – seeking different approaches.”
Moreover, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also plans to address the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 23 for the 15th time. The main focuses of the speech are expected to be a denunciation of Israel’s genocidal actions in Gaza, a call for recognition of Palestinian statehood and the induction of international steps against Israel’s terror.
Turkish-Egyptian ties
The foreign minister hailed Türkiye’s improving relations with Egypt, describing them as at “the best level in modern history.”
He stressed that without any political intent or will, the ties between Ankara and Cairo should be advanced, enabling dialogues in all areas.
Pointing out the trade and defense cooperation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, he noted the necessity of bilateral deals due to the threats in the region.
“But at this point, there is a reality we face: The threats in the region are now pushing us to talk more about security and, frankly, to cooperate on this matter. We especially need to cooperate in the defense industry. And we also need to talk more about our common security issues,” he said.
Underscoring Türkiye’s ongoing cooperation with Saudi Arabia in the defense industry, Fidan said discussions with Egypt are continuing in that regard.
“But especially with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Türkiye really needs to put the issue of common security on the table with regional countries, just as much as we do with matters of economy, trade and technology,” he added.
