Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan protested Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s speech in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday by walking out of the venue as Herzog began speaking.

Fidan is representing Türkiye at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which kicked off in Azerbaijan and is also attended by heads of state and government, as well as ministers. He was among representatives of more than 10 countries who left the hall when Herzog took the floor. Earlier, Fidan was welcomed by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Türkiye and Israel had been working to improve their relations before the latest round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in 2023. Since then, Türkiye has been one of the most vocal critics of the Netanyahu administration over the genocide in Gaza and has severed all ties with Israel. Türkiye has also criticized the international community for its inaction over war crimes committed by the Israeli administration against Palestinians.

Pressure from Türkiye and several other countries has fueled growing opposition to Israel’s actions and further isolated Benjamin Netanyahu on the international stage. This diplomatic isolation was evident during last month’s U.N. General Assembly in New York, as scores of delegates walked out when the Israeli prime minister took the podium.

Later, addressing the summit, Fidan’s speech was a scathing critique of Israel. Pointing out member states’ commitments to peace and mutual trust, Fidan said this should apply to all members. "Israel is a member of the CICA. While it violates the basic rights of the Palestinian people with its policy of systemic pressure, we cannot fulfill our own commitment. We have to demonstrate a decisive stand to support the rights of Palestine, another member, against the ongoing oppression and severe violations,” he said.

The minister noted that the issue can be permanently resolved by the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem serving as its capital and based on the 1967 borders.

"The CICA is a valuable platform for bridging different priorities and deepening mutual understanding. This summit should clearly define the path to a more efficient CICA to ensure continent-wide sustainable peace and increased prosperity. We are determined to work to achieve these goals,” he said.