Politics
Türkiye ready for spillover of Iran-Israel war, repeats peace call
Türkiye will continue to do everything in its power to further diplomacy and end Israel’s attacks, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday, warning of regional repercussions as tensions between Iran and Israel have surged.
“We are doing everything we can to stop (Israel’s) inhumane aggression against Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and our neighbor Iran,” Erdoğan said, speaking during the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in Ankara.
“We are closely following Israel’s terrorist attacks against Iran. All our institutions are on alert regarding the possible effects of these attacks on Türkiye,” he added. “We are not running a grocery store here. We are running one of the world’s greatest countries, the Republic of Türkiye. Our state’s experience, historical heritage and experience of our nation is our guiding light,” he said.
Saying that it is entirely “natural, legitimate and lawful” for Iran to defend itself against Israel’s “banditry and state terrorism,” Erdoğan said. “Iran is blatantly attacked by a spoiled country which knows no rules and recognizes no laws, a country without principles,” he said.
On Israel’s attacks on Iran, Erdoğan highlighted that they were carried out while Iran’s nuclear talks were still underway. “Israel owns nuclear weapons and has ignored all international rules in the development of nuclear weapons. Yet, it did not wait for negotiations to conclude and committed a blatant terror attack,” he said. “Unfortunately, international institutions, particularly the United Nations and states, are silent in the face of the aggression unfolding before their eyes. Some even openly support this banditry. Those who remained silent in the face of 620 days of violence in Gaza, which is a shame for humanity, adhered to the silence as the fire spread across our region. Remaining silent in the face of this disrespect for rules, this state terrorism and banditry is equal to consenting to it,” he said.
He said Türkiye had been engaged in diplomacy since June 13, noting that he had held talks with the presidents of Iran and the U.S., as well as leaders of regional countries and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “As a country that can hold talks with Iran, we advocated a diplomatic solution to resolve the nuclear dispute. We will continue to do so,” he stressed. “We don’t have any land ambitions in the region. We don’t want to harm other countries’ territorial integrity or sovereignty. We only want peace and stability,” he said.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has long surpassed Hitler. We hope their fates will not be the same.” He elaborated on Israel’s actions targeting Palestinians, “that evolved from mass punishment to massacres and ultimately to genocide.” He noted that more than 55,000 innocent Gazans died in 620 days of violence and Israel’s attacks became more barbaric. “Israel condemned 2 million civilians striving to survive in Gaza, filled with rubble, to hunger and water scarcity. Not content with that, they fired upon innocent people rushing to aid at the distribution point, and every day, they massacre people suffering from hunger,” he said.
“It is clear that even the most starkly brutal images of the Holocaust are not as striking as what we see in Gaza today,” he noted.
He underscored the human toll of Israel’s actions, warning: “The blood of massacred civilians, murdered babies and children is splattered not only on the hands and faces of those who support Israel’s arrogance, but also on those who remain silent.”
He reassured the public, stating: “Our nation can rest assured. The government is fully committed to safeguarding Türkiye’s interests, peace, unity and security.” Erdoğan added: “We have made and are preparing for every possible negative development and scenario.” “You have to be ready for war if you want peace,” he stated. “Nobody should test our resolve, our patience. We sincerely fight for peace, but we respond in kind if confronted. Any attack will be confronted by the steel will of our government,” he said.
On June 13, Israel launched large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities across several cities, as well as high-ranking military command centers. Iranian media reported Wednesday that the death toll from Israeli airstrikes across Tehran and other populated areas has risen to 585, with at least 1,326 people injured since the attacks started last week. In retaliation, Iran’s military launched ballistic missiles at Israel, killing 24 people and wounding over 500, according to reports. Numerous countries, including Türkiye, have condemned Israel’s actions.
Since a new round of the Palestine-Israel conflict erupted in 2023, Türkiye has been on alert, and Erdoğan had warned that Israel may set its sights on Türkiye in the future, citing the Netanyahu administration’s expansionist goals. Over time, Israel launched attacks in Lebanon and Syria and hurled veiled threats toward Türkiye, calling on Ankara not to side with Palestinians.
Erdoğan also underlined that Türkiye had started to invest in and develop its defense industry at the right time, looking at the regional developments and the world order breaking down.
Pointing to global tensions and increasing conflicts, Erdoğan said that Türkiye must be united – the steps of which have been laid through the terror-free Türkiye initiative.
The initiative was launched by government ally Devlet Bahçeli, head of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who called on the PKK’s jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan to appeal to the PKK to lay down arms last year.
Soon, his call evolved into a new initiative that saw Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmakers visiting Öcalan in the island prison where he is incarcerated in the Marmara Sea. As a result and in a landmark development, the PKK last month announced its dissolution and the end of its four-decade terror campaign that cost tens of thousands of lives in Türkiye, as well as in Iraq and Syria.
Earlier this week, Erdoğan had pointed out that Türkiye was becoming a strong deterrent force thanks to its flourishing defense arsenal, boasting everything from locally-made missiles to armed drones.
Last year, Türkiye announced plans to form an indigenous multilayered air defense system that features a network-centric and AI-supported multiplatform-integrated shield across large swaths of land, seeking to provide an impenetrable defense system over Turkish airspace. The “Steel Dome Project,” approved by the Defense Industry Executive Committee, aims to integrate multiple layers of domestic air defense systems, sensors and weapons under a unified network structure.
Turkish missile producer Roketsan plays a key role in improving Turkish air defense systems. Most prominent among them is Tayfun, which has a range above 280 kilometers (174 miles). Its hypersonic speed helps the missile dodge the air defenses of targeted locations. It can operate under diverse weather conditions.
Bora, which has a range of 280 kilometers, provides an adequate firepower against strategic targets within the battlefield, such as artillery and air defense systems, radar command and control positions, and communication systems.
The TRG-300 guided missile can be fired at even the most distant targets in less than five minutes with its 20 to 120-kilometer range and similarly, the TRG-230 has a slightly reduced range of up to 70 kilometers but stands out with its cost-effectiveness and optional laser seeker heads. Meanwhile, the TRG-122 missile can be effective on targets up to 28 kilometers away, but its high precision ensures that the avoidance of civilian casualties can be minimized. Similarly, the TRLG-122 laser-guided missile, with a range of up to 30 kilometers, can pinpoint targets with its laser seeker head.
The CNRA multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) can fire at targets upward of 280 kilometers with high accuracy and timing, and targets can be air defense systems, radar sites, command and control systems, logistics facilities and others. The TR-107 and the TR-122 artillery rockets can continuously fire regardless of the time of day and neutralize targets in all sorts of operations, while the TR-122 and the TRB-122 rockets can be fired from a wide range of MLRSs for operational flexibility and rapid deployment. The T-106/122 MLRS provides the user with effective fire support to maneuver units against high-priority targets in all weather conditions, day or night, and its battery can allow the system to perform independent missions. Additionally, the parachute-equipped variant of the TR-122 rocket, signal jammers and cameras replaced the traditional warheads, and its dislocating front section allows the engine to be separated so that the payload can glide with the parachute open. The Kara Atmaca surface-to-surface long-range cruise missile is a jam-resistant munition that can be launched from a tactical land vehicle and it is planned to be used against fixed land targets with a maximum operational range of 280 kilometers. The Tanok 120-millimeter laser-guided anti-tank cannon missile can be fired from tanks without modifications and boasts a highly accurate and cost-effective solution on the battlefield with a range of over 6 kilometers.
Meanwhile, the UMTAS/LUMTAS-GM air-to-surface anti-tank guided missile system is used against targets out of the line of sight without detection, with a range of 15 kilometers for air platforms and 20 kilometers for ground platforms. The two configurations include the image-processing infrared seeker and the semi-active laser seeker heads. The OMTAS medium-range anti-tank missile system is effective against armored targets and its seeker head, capable of infrared imaging, allows it to operate day and night in all weather conditions with a range of 4 kilometers. In addition, the L-OMTAS laser-guided medium-range anti-tank weapon system is strong against armored threats with its armor-piercing warhead. The missile can lock onto the target before or after firing, making it highly effective against moving targets and its own tripod platform for launching allows it to be used on land platforms with open or closed turret integration. The Karaok short-range anti-tank guided missile boasts the capability to attack both fixed and moving targets, tanks and other armored and combat vehicles with a maximum operational range of 2.5 kilometers.
Additionally, the KMC-U tactical missile system features 360-degree rotation and high mobility and can be controlled from the inside or outside of the vehicle it is attached to and boasts infrared and laser-guided warheads. The 105/155-millimeter Howitzer Ammunition Range Correction Kit is an alternative to the standard fuses used in unguided artillery munitions with multiple fuse functions, and its data link infrastructure allows the kit to track multiple munitions in the air and transmit commands on the fly.
The SOM air-to-surface standoff missile stands out among Roketsan’s air systems, as it is used against heavily protected targets on land and sea and can reach outside the range of air defense missile systems. The Teber high-precision guidance kit is used to integrate into MK-81 and MK-82 bombs to enhance their striking capabilities against moving and fixed targets, while the Laçin smart guidance kit uses an imaging infrared seeker warhead and the tactical data link for the MK-82 bomb to boost its capability. Meanwhile, the UAV-230 air-to-surface ballistic supersonic missile is used as a tool of psychological warfare, as its long range of 150 kilometers can attack targets from far away without facing enemy threats.
The MAM-T smart munition is highly destructive in air-to-surface missions and was developed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and light attack aircraft, and its various warheads can enhance its capabilities. For instance, the MAM-T IIR uses an imaging infrared seeker warhead, allowing the user to deploy the munition even in the harshest of conditions, while the MAM-C laser-guided mini-smart munition can be used against human targets, vehicles and other surface targets in a relatively short range of 8 kilometers. Roketsan’s laser-guided long-range anti-tank missile system L-UMTAS is a highly precise armor-piercing weapon used against moving and fixed targets, while the Cirit laser-guided missile is a cost-effective solution against lightly armored and unarmored targets from surface to naval and air vehicles. The Alpagut smart loitering munition system can also be used similarly to the Cirit missile against fixed and moving targets on sea and surface, whether it be critical facilities like command centers or human targets, with a range of 60 kilometers.
The Barbaros is a coastal defense system that can fire the Atmaca and Çakır long-range anti-cruise missiles integrated into the mobile vehicle battery and its operations and missions can be directed by a command and control vehicle. Meanwhile, torpedoes Akya and Orka provide high speed and a long range and can be internally and externally guided via fiber optics. The latter, Orka, was developed entirely through domestic capabilities. The Temren long-range anti-tank missile system is used in integrating anti-tank missiles into Seahawk helicopters and the procurement of guided missiles (G/Ms), while the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Rocket and Launcher System is used against underwater targets, equipped with an integrated weapons management system and sonar with a range of up to 2 kilometers and 300 meters (984 feet) of depth.
Roketsan’s Siper long-range air and missile defense system provides for the survival of allied troops in war by limiting, delaying or destroying enemy targets in surface-to-air munition attacks. It is designed to protect strategic facilities with two different variations, while Hisar air defense missiles are used to protect military bases, ports and other facilities against aircraft and UAVs. The Burç ground-based mobile air defense system employs superior firepower and active and passive sensors against air threats, with its tracking capabilities provided by 360-degree air surveillance and fire control data processed by advanced algorithms. In addition, the Sungur short-range air defense missile system is used against moving and stationary human targets and facilities, while the Levent close-range system, operating similarly to Sungur, is used to neutralize aircraft, UAVs and guided missiles in all weather conditions and surface-to-air attacks. On the other hand, the directed-energy weapon named Alka uses a two-layered close hybrid air defense system, enabling asymmetric threats to be “soft killed” with its electromagnetic jamming weapon and properly neutralized with a laser weapon.
Additionally, the Midlas vertical launcher system stores G/Ms for surface-to-air attacks and can launch them with hot or cold launch methods according to the commands it receives from the vessel’s combat management system. Its electromechanical launching system can fire different types of G/Ms one by one or consecutively at various targets.
Opposition corruption
Erdoğan also criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) for several corruption cases within the party and especially the municipalities the party holds across Türkiye.
“The situation of the main opposition, which cannot break free from the control of a handful of bandits settled in Istanbul, I regret to say, does not suit our democracy or Turkish politics at all,” Erdoğan said.
“A chronic shortfall of the main opposition is getting deeper in Türkiye,” he warned.
Pointing to the disputes and intrigues among the actors of the CHP, Erodğan added: “We are confused, too, as to whether we are watching Türkiye’s main opposition party or a soap opera full of intrigues and betrayals.”
Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, along with dozens of others, is currently under arrest on charges of corruption related to his two-time tenure as mayor of the city, as well as his previous tenure as mayor of the city’s Beylikdüzü district.
Prosecutors say he led a criminal network profiting from bribes from businesses and tender rigging, among other offenses. His alleged cohorts, from municipality employees to owners of companies who were awarded lucrative contracts, were among the detainees and those formally arrested on March 22.
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul said several witnesses came out in the case against the alleged Imamoğlu-led network, disclosing a scheme of bribery that started after Imamoğlu took office in 2019.
Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), founded under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Aug. 14, 2001, marked its 25th anniversary Friday, completing a quarter-century in which it has won every general election it has contested and reshaped the country’s political landscape.
Established as Türkiye’s 39th political party by a movement led by Erdoğan, then a former Istanbul mayor, the AK Party entered national politics with a pledge for sweeping political change.
“From now on, nothing in Türkiye will be the same,” Erdoğan said at the party’s launch. Two days later, he was unanimously elected its chair.
Just 15 months after its establishment, the AK Party won the Nov. 3, 2002, general election with 34.28% of the vote. Erdoğan was barred from running because of a political ban, and Abdullah Gül formed the 58th government.
Erdoğan enters Parliament
After legal changes lifted his political ban, Erdoğan won a parliamentary seat in a rerun election in the southeastern province of Siirt on March 9, 2003.
Following Gül’s resignation as prime minister, Erdoğan formed Türkiye’s 59th government on March 15, beginning more than a decade as premier.
The AK Party consolidated its position in subsequent elections, receiving 41.7% in the 2004 local elections and 46.58% in the 2007 general election.
The party faced one of its most serious legal challenges in 2008 when Türkiye’s chief prosecutor filed a case seeking its closure and political bans for 71 figures, including Erdoğan and Gül.
Six Constitutional Court judges voted to close the party and five opposed the move, falling short of the qualified majority required for a ban.
Referendums, election victories
A constitutional referendum in September 2010 became another milestone for the party, with 57.88% voting in favor of a package of constitutional amendments.
The AK Party subsequently received 49.83% of the vote in the 2011 general election, one of its highest nationwide vote shares.
In 2014, Erdoğan shifted from the prime minister’s office to the presidency. He won 51.79% of the vote on Aug. 10, becoming Türkiye’s first president elected directly by popular vote.
Ahmet Davutoğlu succeeded Erdoğan as AK Party chair. After the June 2015 election produced no single-party government, the AK Party regained its parliamentary majority in the Nov. 1 snap election.
Binali Yıldırım became party chair and prime minister in May 2016.
Presidential system changes
Türkiye’s political trajectory changed sharply with the July 15, 2016, coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
Erdoğan called on citizens to take to the streets and public squares, while resistance to the coup attempt helped foster closer political cooperation between the AK Party and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), laying the groundwork for the People’s Alliance.
A constitutional referendum on April 16, 2017, approved a shift to an executive presidential system with 51.41% support.
The changes also allowed the president to retain party membership. Erdoğan rejoined the AK Party after 979 days and was reelected its chair at an extraordinary congress in May 2017.
The AK Party and MHP contested the June 24, 2018, elections under the People’s Alliance, as Türkiye held presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously for the first time.
Erdoğan won the presidency with 52.59%, becoming the first president under the new system, while the AK Party received 42.56% in the parliamentary vote.
The alliance continued into the 2019 local elections, in which the AK Party received 44.33% nationwide.
The COVID-19 pandemic later disrupted the party’s congress process, but its seventh ordinary congress was eventually held in March 2021, with Erdoğan again elected chair.
Erdoğan wins new term in 2023
Türkiye returned to the polls in May 2023 for presidential and parliamentary elections.
Erdoğan received 49.52% in the first presidential round, forcing a runoff. The AK Party received 35.62% of the parliamentary vote and secured 268 seats.
Erdoğan defeated his challenger in the May 28 runoff with 52.18%, securing another presidential term.
The victory extended the AK Party’s record of finishing first in every general election it had contested since its establishment and maintained its position as the longest-governing party since Türkiye entered its multiparty era in 1946.
The March 31, 2024, local elections represented a setback for the AK Party, which received 35.49% of the vote and won 24 provincial and 357 district municipalities.
Erdoğan acknowledged the message delivered by voters and pledged to evaluate the results, after which the party began replacing provincial and district officials.
That renewal accelerated at the AK Party’s eighth ordinary congress on Feb. 23, 2025. Thirty-nine new members joined its Central Decision and Management Board, renewing 52% of the body.
Further organizational changes followed, including replacements of provincial chairs in 15 provinces.
‘Terror-free Türkiye’ initiative
One of the latest chapters in the AK Party’s quarter-century in politics has been the “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, which followed a call by MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli in October 2024 and was subsequently backed by Erdoğan.
A parliamentary National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission began work in August 2025 to address terrorism, social integration, national unity, democracy and the rule of law.
The commission adopted its report in February 2026.
A bill setting out the legal framework for the process was submitted to Parliament on Aug. 5, 2026. The legislation links its implementation to an official determination that the PKK terrorist group and affiliated structures have ended their operational existence and surrendered weapons under their control.
Parliament approved the legislation on Aug. 10 with 467 votes in favor, 87 against and seven abstentions.
Turkish Cypriot leaders on Friday commemorated the victims of the 1974 killings in the villages of Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar, marking the 52nd anniversary of one of the deadliest episodes of intercommunal violence on the divided island.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) President Tufan Erhürman and Prime Minister Ünal Üstel paid tribute to Turkish Cypriots killed on Aug. 14, 1974, according to the Turkish News Agency Cyprus (TAK).
Commemoration ceremonies were held at cemeteries in Muratağa, Sandallar and Atlılar, where officials laid wreaths, observed moments of silence and attended prayers for the victims.
Speaking at the Muratağa-Sandallar cemetery, Erhürman said the victims represented the suffering endured by the Turkish Cypriot community during the conflict.
“Each of our martyrs lying here is the most concrete indication of the suffering experienced and the heavy price paid by the Turkish Cypriot people,” Erhürman said.
He criticized what he described as international silence over the killings, saying the lack of acknowledgment raised questions about the international community’s approach to the events.
Üstel, in a separate message marking Aug. 14, described the date as one associated with both resistance and deep suffering in Turkish Cypriot history.
He said Turkish Cypriots had refused to abandon their homeland, freedom or future despite years of violence and pressure, adding that they continued to show the same determination in the face of what he called “unjust isolation and embargoes.”
On Aug. 14, 1974, armed Greek Cypriot groups, including members of the ultranationalist EOKA terrorist group, attacked the three Turkish Cypriot villages.
A total of 126 Turkish Cypriots, many of them women and children, were killed. The youngest victim was 16-day-old Selden Ali Faik, while the oldest was 95-year-old Hüseyin Osman.
A mass grave in Atlılar was discovered on Aug. 20, 1974, after the second phase of Türkiye’s operation on Cyprus began.
The victims in Muratağa and Sandallar were discovered in early September after a shepherd noticed a hand protruding from the ground.
The mass graves were later opened in the presence of United Nations observers, and the remains of the victims were identified before being reburied at cemeteries.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met Thursday with Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy and Egyptian General Intelligence Service chief Maj. Gen. Hassan Rashad in the coastal city of el-Alamein, the Foreign Ministry said.
Fidan began a two-day visit to Egypt on Thursday.
During the visit, Fidan is scheduled to be received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and meet senior Egyptian officials, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
He will discuss bilateral relations, review the current status of agreements under negotiation and encourage mutual investment in line with a common goal of increasing bilateral trade volume to $15 billion, diplomatic sources said.
The Turkish foreign minister will also discuss cooperation in hydrocarbons, electricity grid integration, energy infrastructure and mining, according to the sources.
Fidan will assess steps that can be taken to advance existing cooperation in the military and defense industries and emphasize the importance of addressing regional issues through dialogue and diplomacy on the basis of regional ownership and shared responsibility, the sources said.
He will also underline Türkiye’s determination to continue joint efforts bilaterally and through multilateral platforms such as the R4 initiative, which brings together the foreign ministers of Türkiye, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
The visit will include the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group, co-chaired by Fidan and Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, according to the sources.
The meeting will review the outcomes of the second meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, held in Cairo in February, and prepare for a third meeting planned in Türkiye in 2028.
Fidan will express support for diplomatic efforts aimed at restoring the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the sources said.
He will also stress the importance of immediately halting ongoing attacks in Gaza, fully implementing the ceasefire and ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid.
The minister is expected to exchange views on implementing the second phase of the Gaza Peace Plan and Israel’s attacks on Palestine, Lebanon and Syria, according to the sources.
Fidan will underline the need to continue joint efforts to ensure lasting stability and security in Libya based on the country’s territorial integrity and political unity.
He will also reaffirm Türkiye’s support for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, the sources said.
Fidan will share assessments on the roles and contributions Türkiye and Egypt can make toward establishing lasting peace and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received lawmakers Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, members of the PKK-linked Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party’s (DEM Party) Imralı delegation, and held a meeting with the families of fallen soldiers and veterans at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Thursday.
The closed-door meeting lasted about one hour and 40 minutes and was also attended by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) acting Chair Efkan Ala and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın.
No statement was immediately issued following the meeting.
Buldan and Sancar have served as intermediaries in contacts with jailed PKK terrorist ringleader Abdullah Öcalan on Imralı Island as part of Türkiye’s terror-free initiative.
Later Thursday, Erdoğan received families of fallen soldiers and veterans at the Presidential Complex.
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş attended the meeting and said Türkiye would continue to honor the memory of its fallen soldiers, recognize the sacrifices of its veterans and stand by their families.
In a statement on social media, Erdoğan later said that he had met with the families of fallen soldiers and veterans at the Presidential Complex.
“The homeland where we live freely, in peace and security, is entrusted to us by our fallen soldiers and veterans. The families of those who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood to protect the unity and integrity of this country are also entrusted to us,” Erdoğan said.
He said the state had mobilized all available resources to support veterans and the families of fallen soldiers and would continue to do so.
Referring to Türkiye’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, Erdoğan said Parliament had taken an important step this week as part of efforts to eliminate terrorism from the country.
“Türkiye has reached this stage, above all, thanks to the heroic struggle of our nation’s sons and daughters, the resilience of your families and the achievements our state has made, particularly in the defense industry in recent years,” he said.
“God willing, by acting with patience, common sense and composure, we will rid Türkiye of this scourge once and for all,” Erdoğan added.
The talks come after Parliament approved the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, commonly referred to as the “framework law,” with broad parliamentary support.
Parliament on Monday passed a landmark 12-article law supporting the country’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, following months of political efforts led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli.
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved with 468 votes in favor and 88 against, with six abstentions.
The legislation forms a key part of the legal framework surrounding the ongoing “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which seeks to bring an end to decades of terrorism and strengthen social integration.
Türkiye and Egypt will continue to deepen bilateral ties based on mutual trust and shared interests as the two regional powers seek to contribute to peace and stability, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday following a visit to Egypt.
Fidan said in a statement shared on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, that the visit provided an important opportunity to discuss what he described as the “excellent level” of bilateral cooperation between Ankara and Cairo, as well as regional developments.
“Strengthening cooperation between our countries serves not only the common interests of our peoples but also the establishment of peace, stability and prosperity in our region.”
The minister noted that Türkiye and Egypt were two major states acting with an awareness of the responsibilities placed on them by their history and geography.
During the visit, Fidan and his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, co-chaired the second meeting of the Türkiye-Egypt Joint Planning Group.
Fidan also held talks with Egyptian General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Rashad and Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy.
The two sides signed agreements aimed at increasing bilateral trade, diversifying economic relations and strengthening connectivity between the countries, he said.
It was also added that Ankara and Cairo would continue working “shoulder to shoulder” in line with the vision of their presidents to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Egypt is one of Türkiye’s leading trade and export partners in Africa. Bilateral trade reached about $8 billion in 2025, with the two countries aiming to increase the figure to $15 billion, a target set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and el-Sissi.
Turkish investments in Egypt have exceeded $4 billion, underscoring the growing economic ties between the two countries. Turkish-owned companies currently contribute to the employment of about 100,000 Egyptians.
Invited by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Ankara on Tuesday.
Erdoğan hosted a welcoming ceremony for Abbas on Wednesday before the two leaders sat down for talks on the future of Palestine and Israel’s actions undermining hopes for a solution.
The two leaders, who were scheduled to hold a joint news conference later on Wednesday, focused on the latest developments regarding Palestine, bilateral ties between Ankara and Ramallah, and regional developments.
Israel’s attacks on Gaza, international efforts against its attempts to annex the West Bank, and steps taken by the Netanyahu government to expel Palestinians from their territories, both through its genocidal campaign in Gaza and through illegal settlements, were expected to be on the agenda during the meeting.
According to the latest U.N. secretary-general’s report on settlements, Israeli authorities advanced or approved plans to build 4,750 settlement units in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, between March 14 and June 12.
On March 25, the Israeli government also approved the establishment or legalization of 34 illegal settlements in Area C of the West Bank, the largest number approved in a single Israeli government decision, according to the same U.N. report.
U.N. Security Council Resolution 2334 affirms that Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including occupied East Jerusalem, have “no legal validity” and constitute a flagrant violation of international law.
The meeting was also expected to address attacks on holy sites, such as Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem, led by Israeli politicians, the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and initiatives led by Türkiye. The Gaza peace plan and reconstruction efforts in Palestine, particularly in Gaza, were also expected to be discussed.
Türkiye champions the Palestinian cause on every platform and seeks to be a voice for Palestinians in the international community. President Erdoğan raises the issue at international events, and this is also expected to be the case at next month’s United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States.
Thanks to Türkiye’s diplomatic initiatives, the number of leaders and influential figures speaking out against Israel has increased. Ankara continues its efforts to intensify international pressure on Israel while consistently raising the Palestinian cause and Israel’s aggression on every platform.
On Gaza, Türkiye has consistently supported an immediate cease-fire, expanded humanitarian access, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, while remaining among the strongest international critics of Israel’s attacks. Working in close strategic alignment with Doha, Ankara has coordinated joint mediation efforts alongside Qatar and regional partners to enforce a lasting cease-fire, secure uninterrupted humanitarian relief and advance diplomatic channels for a comprehensive regional peace settlement.
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