Hillah: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on regional countries and the international community to take joint action against Israel’s expansionist policy in the region.
According to National Iraqi News Agency, in an interview with MBC Masr regarding the joint Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Fidan stated that the meeting was specifically convened to address Israeli aggression against another Arab country, besides Palestine. The summit highlighted Israel’s regional expansion, documented it in an international forum, and urged regional and international communities to take a stand. Fidan emphasized that this call to action was the most significant outcome of the meeting.
Fidan remarked that the issues discussed and agreed upon by the leaders at the summit are far more crucial than what is captured in the official text. Addressing whether the focus was shifting from Gaza or the Palestinian issue to Israeli threats to the broader region, Fidan affirmed Turkey’s ongoing opposition to the genocide in Gaza and attempts to annex the West Bank. He stressed the necessity of establishing a Palestinian state for regional peace. However, he also highlighted the need for regional countries and the international community to address Israel’s expansionist policy.
Fidan further noted that Israel derives its power from the political and economic weaknesses and technological backwardness of its neighboring countries. He asserted that Israel perceives any regional vision based on prosperity and strength as a threat. He mentioned the involvement of Western countries and the United States in this policy and underscored the need for a shift in this regional dynamic.
He indicated that when indirect means fail to create instability, Israel opts for military intervention. He also mentioned Israel’s clear intentions of turning regional expansion into a policy extending beyond the Palestinian issue.
Fidan cautioned that Israel’s expansionist policy is rejected by rational Israelis and warned that adopting such a strategy as a security measure is perilous for all parties involved, especially when peaceful coexistence is possible.
Addressing Turkey’s relations with the United States concerning Gaza, Fidan highlighted President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s dedicated efforts in international diplomacy to halt the massacres in Gaza. He pointed out the entrenched dynamics in American politics regarding control and influence, suggesting that recent events indicate the U.S. may not have the influence over Israeli policies that it is often perceived to have.