Netanyahu 'trying to cover up' genocide in Gaza: Turkish foreign minister

ISTANBUL

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said late Thursday that the reality of the genocide in Gaza has been recognized by the world, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "trying to cover it up."

In an interview with a Turkish TV channel, he said the Palestine issue is a "bleeding wound" for the whole world and urged to stop the famine caused by Israel in Gaza.

Fidan stressed that Netanyahu has been using international pressure tactics to cover his crimes, saying the Israeli prime minister "has developed a pressure mechanism for each country" by mobilizing "the Zionist lobby in each country" to hold nations "under captivity through their own local politics."

He noted that "the illusion surrounding the Palestinian issue and Israel's untouchability" created over the years has been shattered and emphasized that the world now knows "Israel's real goal has never been its own security" but rather "gaining more land under the guise of security."

Stressing that the US changed its stance on Israel's attacks on Gaza, Fidan said Washington has not been "openly defending" Tel Aviv "anymore."

Pointing to Israel's brutality in the Palestinian enclave, he said the Netanyahu administration does not care about any humanitarian values.

Fidan drew historical parallels, stating that "this historical madness that Netanyahu and his friends have brought about is a repeat of the similar madness they condemned 60-70 years ago, the madness of Hitler."

Regarding Syria, he expressed concerns about Israel's expansionist policies, saying there is "no acceptable aspect to Israel's expansionist stance, particularly that of the Netanyahu government, regarding Syria."

He also criticized certain groups in Syria for seeing Israeli pressure as "an opportunity to develop a separatist political discourse" rather than jointly building Syria's future.

Fidan noted that some states and entities had been waiting for Syria's new administration to make mistakes before taking action but began to become the problem themselves when they saw no mistakes were being made.

He also addressed ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, expressing optimism about peace prospects. He noted that he had held numerous discussions regarding the negotiations, saying Ankara remains hopeful for peace, with sufficient reason for this hope.

Fidan ​referenced developments from recent Russia-Ukraine negotiations in Istanbul, noting that positions presented by the parties in the third round were later brought to the agenda in the Alaska Summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin and became concrete.

Regarding relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, he highlighted the positive developments for regional peace. He said that agreements reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan, along with the accord between Azerbaijan and the US, painted a very positive picture for the region.

He noted that the declaration of the Zangezur Corridor, a strategic link connecting Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan​​​​​​​, signified acceptance in principle of Azerbaijan's fundamental demands from the outset, though he added there was nothing concrete with a clear format after the declaration and that it was accepted as a concept for parties to negotiate among themselves.