Turkish foreign minister calls for united Turkic voice against Israel's atrocities in Gaza

ANKARA

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday urged all Turkic nations to raise their voices and take concrete steps against Israeli atrocities in the Gaza Strip, criticizing Western silence and inadequate international responses to the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.

"I call on all our brothers in the Turkic world to raise their voices more against the atrocities in Gaza and to take more concrete steps to end this oppression," said Hakan Fidan during his speech at the first Meeting of Chairpersons of the National Defense Commissions of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TÜRKPA), referring to Israel’s ongoing onslaught on the strip since Oct. 7, which has killed about 35,600 Palestinians.

Fidan advocated for "a two-state solution" with the recognition of the Palestinian state as essential for sustainable peace in Gaza, criticizing Western silence and "inadequate" international responses to the humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.

"The risk of the conflict's geographical spread and social escalation increases with each passing day," he warned.

"We took concrete steps towards this goal against Israel. At the current stage, we have terminated our bilateral trade. We announced our decision to intervene in the case opened by the Republic of South America against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"There is only one way to prevent the further violation of all kinds of human rights and international law principles and to not tolerate it: increasing international pressure on Israel in every area."

Fidan also reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for "Ukraine's sovereignty" and its ongoing efforts to mediate and achieve a "peaceful resolution in the Black Sea" by bringing the warring parties together.

"In this context, we have continued and will continue to mediate in various areas."

The minister also stressed the need for the Turkic world to cooperate and integrate with defense and security, transforming the region into a "corridor of prosperity and stability" like other areas.

"Türkiye has always been ready to provide all kinds of support to the brotherly Turkic states in the field of defense industry cooperation."

He underscored the desire to take steps toward defense cooperation that would contribute to the prosperity of all countries in the region, from Türkiye to Central Asia, including conflicts like "terrorism, migration, and border security" in Afghanistan, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

"We are in a period when Asia continues to rise, and the importance of the Turkic geography increases day by day. As a result, we observe that the interest of actors outside the region in our geography is also increasing," he said.

The Turkish minister also reiterated his country's full support for Azerbaijan, particularly in the context of the Karabakh conflict and recent positive developments.

He expressed optimism that a final peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia would benefit not only the two countries but the entire region.

Fidan also underscored the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)'s integration into the Turkic world and participation in TÜRKPA and TDT (Organization of Turkic States) activities.

Furthermore, he noted that the economy, trade, and finance sectors have become high-policy areas, comparable to military power, highlighting the strategic importance of these networks among Turkic states, including initiatives such as the Middle Corridor.

He emphasized the need for Turkic states to adapt to high-tech and green transitions to remain competitive on a global scale.

He also spoke about increasing TÜRKPA's institutional capacity and visibility, as well as the role of the Turkish Investment Fund in supporting regional projects.

The meeting, titled "Defense and Security Architecture Among TÜRKPA Member States," was held at the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in the capital Ankara and was attended by representatives from friendly and brotherly countries Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and the TRNC Assembly.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul