ISTANBUL/ANKARA
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Thursday that the “reconstruction and administration of Gaza should be managed by the Palestinians” without any doubt, adding the international community is on high alert against the possibility of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu imposing war again.
Fidan was speaking to the press after participating in a meeting on Gaza held in Paris where senior diplomats from Europe, the Arab world and other partner countries met to discuss the transition in the enclave.
“The reconstruction and administration of Gaza should be managed by the Palestinians, with security forces controlled by the Palestinians, and there should be no doubt about this—none at all," he said.
“Yesterday was very important. A hope has emerged to stop the genocide in Gaza that has been going on for two years. From the very beginning, under the leadership of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan), Türkiye has made tremendous international efforts. Through this process, we have developed a system and culture of intensifying and coordinating our joint efforts with the Islamic world and other partners,” he added.
Fidan said they have also been working to mobilize the international community to get involved in this effort.
“We also tried to mobilize the international community to be involved in this process. Civil society organizations, government institutions — all of us — have done our utmost, and we are truly happy to have reached this outcome together today. There is now hope for the bloodshed to stop and for the suffering of our Palestinian brothers and sisters to end,” he said.
He noted that there are several important issues from this stage onward, adding what has been agreed upon now is the first-phase implementation plan, which has four goals.
“These are achieving a ceasefire, releasing hostages and detainees, initiating uninterrupted humanitarian aid as soon as possible, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to certain lines. These are the components of the agreed first-phase plan, and they must be followed with great precision. According to the relevant article in the agreement text, Türkiye will also take part in this implementation,” he said.
-‘Serious outcomes were reached today that will form the basis for important decisions’
Fidan, who provided information about today’s meeting, said the foreign ministers of seven countries from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), of which Türkiye is a member, and the Arab League were present at the table alongside their counterparts from the European Union.
"Together, we thoroughly examined the results of yesterday's agreement and how it will be implemented, especially how the Europeans and the rest of the international community can play a role in the economic, reconstruction and administrative revival of Gaza. Serious results were reached today that will form the basis for important decisions. I believe the European ministers will take these observations back to their capitals and political leaders, carrying significant outcomes with them," he added.
Fidan emphasized the importance of the two-state solution in resolving the issue, adding it is pleasing that everyone has accepted it as playing a central role in the resolution of the problem.
"As Türkiye, we said this: If the reconstruction of Gaza and the implementation of plans will bring Gaza back to the pre-Oct. 7, 2023 conditions, then that means we will face another war in the future. Because, as you know, before Oct. 7, Gaza was like an open-air prison."
He pointed out that Gaza was a place where there was no free trade or economy, and everything was subject to Israeli control and restrictions.
Stressing that the pre-Oct. 7 conditions should not return for economic conditions to be implemented, Fidan also commented on the task force announced by President Erdogan.
He said the task force is related to a clause in the accepted plan.
"This team, which will include the United States, Egypt, Türkiye and Qatar, will play a facilitative role in following up on the agreed matters, especially discussing issues with both parties—Palestinian and Israeli sides.”
Fidan also pointed out that these countries are mediator nations and that the mediation team would carry out its responsibilities in the application of the relevant provisions of the agreement. He noted that there were currently no pre-defined tasks, but that as the agreement is implemented, issues will certainly arise, and this team will step in when necessary to provide practical answers.
"The Palestinian issue is important for us in several ways. The presence of Al-Aqsa Mosque is spiritually very important for us. Our historical, cultural and religious ties with the Palestinian people are extremely significant. Most importantly, regardless of belief or ethnicity, Türkiye's moral stance against the oppression of humans by other humans is crucial. When you combine all these factors, Türkiye has to fulfill its responsibilities to history, to its people, and to justice," he added.
Fidan said that under President Erdogan's leadership, Türkiye is doing just that, stressing that Türkiye has a duty not to take credit unjustly and has been playing an important and constructive role alongside other countries.
Fidan expressed his belief that the cooperation models and understandings they developed would create a new spirit and mechanism for solving not only the issues of the Islamic world, but also the broader region.
He pointed out that they have already seen early signs of this, emphasizing that while there might be some ideas and thoughts, what matters is putting them into practice.
-‘New spirit put forth by Türkiye will play a significant role’
Fidan highlighted that some issues are now understood by the actors in the Islamic world.
"When we come together, we can make things happen. In fact, some things are not our fate. They only require more willpower, more effort, more professionalism, and more independent thinking. We are happy to be able to see this. I believe that this new spirit put forth by Türkiye will play a significant role not only in solving the Palestinian issue but also in resolving other regional problems."
-Netanyahu is ‘unreliable’ on peace
Referring to the agreement on the Gaza ceasefire, Fidan noted that it has created a tremendous amount of hope.
"However, we must not forget that there may always be a problem area. So far, Netanyahu has a record, and we know how unreliable he is, especially when it comes to peace. Israel may try to impose war again. The international community is currently on alert. After the issue of hostages is resolved, Israel will have no arguments left to justify its actions."
He underscored that certain problems should be anticipated in the implementation phase, saying it is part of the nature of the situation, and therefore, one should not fall into despair.
He added that Türkiye would continue to work professionally and in a coordinated manner to address these challenges.
