By Janet Ekstract ISTANBUL – Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has been in a flurry of consultations with countries sympathizing with the plight of the Palestinians in efforts to avoid a wider conflict. Fidan urges a renewal of peace talks based on a two-state solution and has been in Egypt since Friday, meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on a number of issues, the priority being Gaza and how best to assist Palestinians, before an imminent incursion into Gaza. In a joint news conference with Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sami Shoukry, Fidan said a mechanism must be established to protect the survival of the Palestinians that would guarantee a just and lasting peace. As Fidan commented, Ankara “invites Israel to adhere to international law” while Shoukry emphasized the urgency in providing protection for Palestinian civilians. Shoukry said aid must reach Gaza and he condemned Israel’s actions including a military campaign in the heavily populated coastal region – labeling Israel’s acts “grave violations of international humanitarian law.”
As Fidan commented, Turkiye “rejects and condemns” all attacks targeting innocent civilians in Palestine. The Turkish FM added that Israel “should have peace not only with Arab countries but mainly with Palestinians.” In the last few years, several Arab countries normalized relations with Israel as part of a broader move to seek stability and economic prosperity in the region. Fidan has been a vocal proponent of a two-state solution which Turkiye is keen to assist in brokering. He said that if a Palestinian state is created then the ongoing conflict would be resolved. As Fidan stated: “We do not approve of the policy of displacing Palestinians in Gaza and deporting them to Egypt. We oppose this. And we stand with Egypt of this issue.” Shoukry reiterated that Egypt and Turkiye share one vision on efforts to deal with serious humanitarian consequences from this conflict on Palestinians. As Shoukry remarked: “The shift of the conflict between Palestine and Israel toward military operations arose due to failure to achieve the legitimate rights of Palestinians.” Fidan continues to work on ways to get hostages freed from Gaza and to collaborate on humanitarian aid with other countries. Turkiye is sending additional humanitarian aid by air to El Arish International Airport with the hope that it gets delivered to Gaza via the Rafah Crossing. Currently, Egypt and Israel are in negotiations about how to create a corridor that would make this possible.
Photo : AA
