ANKARA/ISTANBUL

Türkiye is ready to take on “any responsibility” in resolving the issue of Palestine regarding an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday in an interview with Al Jazeera Arabic.

“With the political will of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan), Türkiye is ready to assume any responsibility in resolving the Palestinian issue and establishing peace,” he said.

“If it becomes necessary to send troops for peace, we are ready to send them,” he added.

Noting that the progress reached on the Gaza peace process was not achieved easily, Fidan pointed to the “tremendous effort, work and dedication behind it.”

“In fact, there is great sorrow, not only for the Islamic world or the Arab world, but for all humanity. The killing of civilians, innocents, women and children before everyone’s eyes for two years; the martyrdom of 70,000 people; the injury and disappearance of tens of thousands naturally leaves a very deep wound in humanity’s conscience,” he said.

Fidan said that although progress has been made in the Gaza peace process, many planned measures are still not fully implemented and Israel continues its attacks.

He noted that the current situation is less severe than the previous conflict and must be improved further.

He said the UN Security Council has issued the necessary resolution for the second phase of the peace plan and that its provisions now need to be put into practice.

Fidan underscored that a major responsibility falls on the US and President Donald Trump, adding that regional countries including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates are working together.

“The establishment of the Peace Council is especially important. The matter of transferring governance to the Palestinians, the transfer of authority by Hamas to a Palestinian technical committee, this is also important, as well as the establishment of a police force — there are many such issues,” he said.

He added that implementation will require agreement from both Palestinians and Israelis, and they are watching to see whether such a consensus will emerge.

Türkiye’s position ‘clear’ on joining International Stabilization Force

Fidan said that Ankara’s stance is “clear” on participating in an International Stabilization Force, despite Israel not wanting Türkiye involved, noting that Tel Aviv is not the “sole decision-maker.”

“If the Americans reach a certain point of negotiation with Israel, all the better for us. If they don’t, that’s their business,” he said.

Asked about Israel’s aim of disarming Hamas through the Stabilization Force, Fidan said they want the process to unfold naturally and without any demands that could derail the peace efforts.

If the peace process proceeds normally, with humanitarian aid, returns, resettlement and economic steps, he believes the Stabilization Force can separate Israelis and Palestinians at the border without major problems, as also discussed with Hamas.

However, he criticized attempts to impose conditions early on that could distort the peace roadmap.

“At a certain point, there should no longer be armed groups. There is already an international mechanism for this, the Stabilization Force, the Peace Council, and the mechanisms we are part of. As Palestinians feel more at ease and more secure, I believe these problems will be resolved,” he added.

Israel must abandon its maximalist demands

Israel must be pushed to abandon its “maximalist demands,” Fidan said, noting that Israel’s claims about creating a new buffer zone reflect a negotiation tactic and one of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s strategies

He underlined that real progress in the peace process requires understanding from all sides and highlighted the importance of the US position.

He added that Türkiye and regional partners such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Jordan are in close contact and that recent engagements show Washington acting more “rationally and constructively.”

He praised US support, saying Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and his team are working sincerely to finalize the issue.

Regarding the risk of the Gaza peace plan collapsing, Fidan said this risk always exists, but they avoid dwelling on it because the alternative would be greater catastrophe and displacement.

He said that Netanyahu’s real aim is to expel Palestinians from Gaza and turn the territory into additional Israeli land, as seen in the West Bank.

Palestinians must remain in their homeland with dignity and security, he said, expressing the international community’s readiness to play its part.

He also noted that the US is mediating both in Gaza and in the Russia-Ukraine context, and he expects bigger steps soon.

His team continues coordinating daily issues on the ground and believes US efforts will intensify.

Türkiye welcomes lifting of US Caesar Act sanctions

On Syria, Fidan said the first year of the country’s liberation should bring hope to Syrians and the region.

Syrians have suffered for 15 years under war and dictatorship, and now regional and international actors are working to support the country’s new administration.

He welcomed the recent lifting of the US Caesar Act sanctions and similar steps by the EU, saying the international community must keep supporting Syria.

Fidan criticized Israel’s expansionism in Syria, calling it unacceptable and similar to its actions in Gaza.

He said Israel is acting against the will of the entire international community and refuses to give Syrians the same chance the world has offered them.

Israel uses regional instability for its own security narrative, he said, and its actions, including expanding ground operations in the south and bombing even Damascus, “bring only more chaos.”

He warned that Israel’s expansion in Syria benefits no one, including Israel itself, and that Türkiye is discussing the issue closely with the US.

He expressed hope that Israel will eventually step back and recognize that regional escalation harms its own interests.

Ankara sees Israeli influence in delays to Syria accord

Fidan said that Israel’s intensified activity in Syria is influencing the PKK/YPG terror group — which operates under the name Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) — to delay implementing a March 10 agreement reached with the Syrian government.

He said the YPG’s stance is “not a decision taken independently,” noting that all sides, including the US, Türkiye and Damascus, had been satisfied with the deal at the time.

He added that the group has recently “pulled back from necessary steps” after receiving “different signals from Israel.”

Asked whether coordination exists between Israel and the SDF, Fidan said: “The day Israel reaches an understanding with Syria, you will see the YPG fall in line.”

Fidan also addressed the conflict in Sudan, saying Türkiye has shifted its focus to humanitarian aid and support for diplomatic initiatives led by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and the US.