ISTANBUL
Recent incidents and developments on Israel's Gaza war have shown that the US may not wield as much influence over Israel’s policies as commonly believed, and the reality could even be the opposite, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday.
“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 US 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 US 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 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 in an interview with MBC MASR TV channel.
“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.
The foreign minister urged Israel’s expansionist policies to be addressed by regional countries, and the global community, calling for appropriate measures in this regard.
“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,” he added.
“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.”
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 on resolving Israel's genocide in Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war and other conflicts, Fidan said the current system shows tendency to "fuel crises rather than provide solutions."
Fidan said blocs, alliances and global bodies, particularly the EU and the UN, often fall short in addressing global problems.
"The structure of the UN, particularly the Security Council, seems inadequate in solving these issues. Reform of the Security Council and the UN as a whole is necessary," Fidan said, calling for more inclusive and participatory decision-making mechanism to be implemented.
"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."
Arab, Islamic countries can unite on regional security
Fidan argued that many Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League members have matured politically to the point that they could form “an integrated political system.”
If the political leaderships of those countries decide, it is possible to reach such a vision within a certain systematic framework, according to Fidan.
He emphasized that in the region, including Türkiye, countries must commit to each other’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty. “All countries must trust each other. There needs to be a platform that makes this possible. Then, many economic and security issues can be built upon this.”
Fidan noted in the region, there has always been talk of Turkish, Arab or Persian domination. “I believe this is a primitive approach. What we need is cooperation, not domination. Not ruling, but working together. Everyone’s borders are clear. Nations are clear. We respect each other.”
‘Best level in modern history’ with Egypt
Fidan highlighted Türkiye’s improving relations with Egypt, calling it “the best level in modern history.”
He said while ties between the peoples of both countries have always been strong, relations between political elites and governments have recently reached a new high, enabling dialogue on all issues.
Pointing to the strong solidarity and between the two countries, Fidan said the relationship is steadily advancing and trade ties are “exceptionally good.”
He emphasized that cooperation between Ankara and Cairo should be advanced through professional efforts in all areas, “But I want to stress this: We need to work professionally and work hard. There is political intent and will.”
Fidan said Türkiye is advancing its trade and political relations with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, stressing the importance of cooperation in the defense industry due to recent incidents 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 is 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.
