Israel has become a primary threat to international peace and security, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Tuesday, citing its “step-by-step” occupation of southern Lebanon and attacks on U.N. peacekeepers on their shared border.
“Israel is not committing this crime alone. Some nations provide arms and political support to Israel,” Fidan told a joint press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi following the Global Diplomacy and Future of Palestine conference in Ankara.
“Israel, which has been killing the region’s people since 1948, is now targeting humanitarian aid efforts and foreign nationals,” Fidan pointed out.
He said the region’s people would “not forget genocidal Netanyahu or his closest friends.”
“The support supplied to Israel for it to commit genocide will always be remembered,” he added.
He argued what happened in Gaza in the past year would push Middle Eastern states to adopt “more independent” foreign policies.
“Netanyahu’s companions will see how their influence in this region is increasingly dwindling,” Fidan said.
He argued it was “very obvious Israel is trying to obstruct a two-state solution, therefore a Palestinian state.”
“We cannot remain silent to the theft of our Palestinian brothers’ lands,” he said. “Israel will never have a say in the future of Palestinians.”
He added that with Jordan, Türkiye will continue working for a two-state solution.
On evacuations from Lebanon, Fidan said Turkish authorities in Beirut have been working in coordination on prepared contingency plans since Israeli bombardment began on Sept. 23.
Due to Israeli airstrikes, many airlines have canceled flights to and from Beirut Airport, which remains open. Ankara pulled nearly a thousand Turkish citizens out of Beirut last week by sea instead.
“We need a charter plan for flights out of Beirut,” Fidan said, noting that this office has made preparations for evacuations by plane.
