Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told the closing ceremony of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum in the eponymous Turkish city on Sunday that genocide and crimes against humanity in the Palestinian lands perpetrated by Israel will not end unless European countries and the U.S. cut off their support to the Netanyahu administration.
Fidan was answering questions about what more Muslim countries should do to stop Israel, which violated a recent cease-fire and launched all-out attacks in Gaza.
"Every country objects to Israel's genocide. The world is unanimous. But here, we see how fair President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's 'world is bigger than five' criticism is," he said, referring to the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, which are criticized for thwarting efforts to find a lasting solution to the Palestine-Israel conflict.
"The only country that can fully exert pressure on Israel, other than turning to military means, is the U.S. We expect steps to be taken to ensure a lasting peace. It is obvious that the genocide will continue unless the support from Europe and the U.S. to Israel is cut off. We should never abandon exhibiting our sensitivity about Gaza. Türkiye, since the beginning, did everything in its power, in its sphere of influence (to end the conflict)," he said.
The minister stated that the prevalence of genocide stemmed from U.S. policies, especially adopted during the Biden administration. "Mr. Trump paved the way for a cease-fire. We expect them to ensure steps for a lasting cease-fire," he stated.
The forum, hosted by the Foreign Ministry, held its fourth edition this year between April 11 and April 13. More than 6,000 people attended the event, including 21 heads of state and government, 64 ministers and other top officials from 155 countries.
In his closing speech, Fidan stated that global diplomacy needed brave steps as the world went through a multipolar transformation. "The sessions held here showed us that meaningful diplomatic dialogue is the only power to confront fragmentation in the world," he said, referring to the forum's theme, "Reclaiming Diplomacy in A Fragmented World."
"Türkiye continues advocating for a diplomatic approach based on regional reclamation and cooperation in the face of global polarization. In this framework, we will continue our efforts to stop the bloodshed in Palestine. We will remain the voice of Palestinians in the face of the genocide perpetrated by Israel," he said.
Fidan also spoke about Israel’s incursion into Syria and stated that they were holding talks with the sides for de-escalation of the conflict in Türkiye’s southern neighbor.
Fidan also thanked Azerbaijan for hosting recent talks between Turkish and Israeli delegations on a "deconfliction mechanism," particularly regarding airspace coordination. Israel and Türkiye edged closer to a direct conflict with recent Israeli bombings of critical locations in Syria, particularly a military base, which Türkiye reportedly planned to deploy to. He noted the clear destabilizing impact of Israel’s long-standing operations in Syria, stating they "serve instability, not stability."
He stressed the need for technical and military measures, including deconfliction mechanisms, to prevent confrontations among actors like Israel, the U.S., Türkiye and Russia.
Answering a question on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's anticipated visit to Syria, Fidan said they were working on ensuring appropriate conditions and a date for the visit. He said they were also working on arranging a meeting between Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump, either in Türkiye or in the U.S.
Fidan also spoke about Türkiye's "commitment to constructive efforts toward a just and lasting peace in Ukraine" and noted Türkiye's unique position of engaging in dialogue with both sides of the conflict.
He emphasized Türkiye's role in reshaping European security architecture and expressed confidence that the European Union would act with the same strategic foresight and vision.
He stressed that Türkiye does not confine its foreign policy to geographical boundaries; instead, it diversifies cooperation and strengthens bridges of friendship.
Answering a question by Daily Sabah on whether Türkiye plans a new diplomatic initiative for a joint stance by the Islamic world on Gaza, Fidan said the issue was discussed at the forum on Friday, referring to a meeting of Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) officials.
"We discussed what has been done and what impact it left. We prepared an action paper on the matter, regarding what more can be done. I should underline that every minister works incredibly hard and stands for this matter. They are as worried as we are (about Gaza)," he said.
