The First Muslim Diaspora Forum of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states was held in Ankara on Tuesday. Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz was among the speakers at the forum, which brought together representatives of the states of the international Islamic body. His speech focused on solidarity and standing against Israeli oppression of Palestinians.

Yılmaz lashed out at Israel’s attempt to brand any opposition to its oppression of Palestinians as “antisemitism.” “(Israeli Prime Minister) Netanyahu himself has left Jews across the world in a hard place because of his actions. The Netanyahu government has put Jews who do not want to be a part of the oppression in a difficult position,” he said, while noting that the Republic of Türkiye has never been antisemitic, as the Netanyahu administration has claimed.

Türkiye champions the Palestinian cause, and under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, it has launched diplomatic efforts to end the genocide in Gaza. Erdoğan has been a staunch opponent of the Netanyahu administration and often likens Netanyahu to Hitler.

The Turkish vice president said solidarity in the face of the tragedy in Gaza was precious, while describing what is happening in the Palestinian enclave as unprecedented.

Yılmaz noted that the inability to implement United Nations resolutions, the weakening of international law, and the protection, in a sense, of perpetrators demonstrate that the existing global order has an extremely limited capacity to deliver justice. He recalled that President Erdoğan’s call that “The world is bigger than five,” arose precisely from this context.

Yılmaz said a dangerous mindset has emerged based on the idea that, “If I am powerful, I can do whatever I want.” In response, he said, Türkiye has made it clear: “We are not living in a period when we can rely on anyone’s mercy. We are living in a period of deepening geopolitical rivalry. We will be both strong and in the right. Despite everything that has happened, we will continue working for a more just world without losing our hope in humanity.”

“Under the leadership of our President, Türkiye will continue to stand by the right, the truth, and the oppressed, whatever the cost, to deliver humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza; and to defend the Palestinian cause on international platforms. The thing tyrants fear most is the light of truth. And at precisely this point, we will continue to proclaim the truth in a loud and clear voice,” he said.

Yılmaz said Muslim diasporas have great power in the countries where they live to bring Gaza’s voice to the public and decision-makers and to mount an effective social response to narratives that distort the truth. “The framework that we could call an ‘Alliance of the Virtuous’ or an ‘alliance of humanity’ is very important here,” he said.

He stressed that it is necessary to fight against this oppression in solidarity with all people, institutions and organizations that are aware that what is happening in Gaza constitutes a crime against humanity. “By mobilizing this power through a common narrative and continuous coordination, we must turn solidarity with the Palestinian people into a more effective, visible and results-oriented struggle,” he said.

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The government’s ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), laid out a list of incentives as Türkiye faces the threat of a growing population decline. The proposals cover everything from free baby food and diapers to discounts for families with three or more children.

Party Deputy Chair Özgür Bayraktar said the proposals were included in a report entitled “Türkiye’s Population Vision,” which they presented to MHP Chair Devlet Bahçeli.

Türkiye ranked as the world’s 18th most populous country in 2025, with a population of 86.1 million, while its fertility rate remained below the global average and its population continued to show signs of gradual aging, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) in August.

Türkiye declared 2025 the “Year of the Family,” signaling urgent concern over the country’s declining fertility rates. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan characterized the current demographic trend as a “disaster.”

The report put forward 11 policy recommendations, including restructuring maternity insurance by incorporating it into the long-term insurance branches. It also noted that the premium-day and age requirements for mothers to qualify for retirement should be gradually reduced based on the number of children they have.

Other proposals include a 50% discount on utility bills, covering everything from electricity and natural gas to internet subscriptions, for families with three or more children, flexible and remote working models for mothers, free diapers and baby formula and incentives for young couples seeking to move from big cities to rural areas.

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Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who retook the top post in the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in May, may anger and cheer up Ekrem Imamoğlu at the same time. Opposing a narrative that the former Istanbul mayor was arrested to curb his political rise, Kılıçdaroğlu said Imamoğlu is not “a political prisoner.”

“I also voted for his (future) presidential candidacy, but we have to separate the trials he faced from the presidential candidacy,” he was quoted by Euronews on Tuesday.

Imamoğlu was arrested last year on corruption charges, about two years after he campaigned to oust Kılıçdaroğlu from the CHP’s top post. Özgür Özel succeeded Kılıçdaroğlu in a November 2023 election, but a court ruled that the election should be nullified amid allegations that Özel’s associates in the CHP bribed delegates to vote for him. Özel left his post in May but vowed to appeal the court ruling, only to change his mind two months later and go on to establish New Party (YP) with fellow CHP lawmakers.

In the interview, Kılıçdaroğlu also said that his party may ally with the YP in the next election. The veteran politician, who was branded a “traitor” by YP supporters after he was reinstated to his post by a court ruling, told Euronews that they were open to supporting the YP’s presidential candidate, Imamoğlu, if he is eligible to run in the next election.

“Twenty-four hours is a very long time in politics,” Kılıçdaroğlu said, quoting former President Süleyman Demirel. “Political relations should be based on the country’s interests. Politics have no room for hostility,” he said, on the possibility of an alliance with the YP, whose members fiercely resisted Kılıçdaroğlu’s return to CHP chairpersonship.

Kılıçdaroğlu returned to the CHP with a promise to “clean up” the party of “corruption,” and in the following months, the party parted ways with mayors and others indicted in corruption investigations. Imamoğlu soon joined them. Kılıçdaroğlu said the arrest of Imamoğlu was “not right” but his presidential candidacy should not be linked to the trials against him.

Imamoğlu faces thousands of years in prison for allegedly running a criminal gang that thrived on bribery and corruption at Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), while Özel has claimed that he was jailed to prevent his future candidacy in the 2028 elections. Imamoğlu is currently ineligible to run for office because his university diploma was annulled on charges of forgery.

The CHP leader said people accused of corruption should be able to defend themselves and “account for every penny they are accused of stealing.”

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Türkiye and Czechia are seeking to expand cooperation in defense, technology and other sectors while increasing their bilateral trade volume to $10 billion (TL 484.21 billion), Turkish Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Fuat Oktay said Tuesday during an official visit to Prague.

Oktay, an Ankara lawmaker from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), traveled to the Czech capital with members of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee at the invitation of the Czech Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security.

The visit is aimed at strengthening interparliamentary ties, exploring new areas of bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional and international developments.

Oktay said the Turkish delegation was scheduled to hold talks with Czech officials, including the industry and trade minister, members of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, the Türkiye-Czechia parliamentary friendship group and officials dealing with European Union affairs.

Economic and defense cooperation are expected to feature prominently in the talks.

Oktay said bilateral trade had already surpassed an earlier target of $5 billion and reached about $6.5 billion, with the two countries now seeking to raise that figure to at least $10 billion.

“We have a trade volume that has reached $6.5 billion, but we now have a target of bringing it to the $10 billion level and beyond,” Oktay said. “We see that relations are progressing very rapidly toward exceeding that level.”

Defense ties in focus

Oktay said defense industry cooperation was among the areas offering significant potential for expanding ties between the two NATO allies.

He pointed to an agreement involving Turkish defense company Aselsan and a Czech group, saying there was scope to turn existing cooperation into more concrete projects, including potential investment involving Aselsan.

Talks are also continuing on cooperation in air defense systems, particularly short-range and low-altitude air defense capabilities, Oktay noted.

He added that Türkiye’s state-owned Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) as well as private-sector companies could also become part of broader defense cooperation.

Beyond defense, the two sides are looking at cooperation in engineering, innovation and research and development.

Oktay stated that Czechia had advanced capabilities in those fields, while Türkiye had significantly expanded its technological and innovation infrastructure over the past decade.

The two countries would examine how that potential could be transformed into concrete projects and how lawmakers could help remove barriers facing businesses and investors, he said.

Oktay also pointed to aviation and tourism as areas with room for further growth, citing an agreement reached in 2025 between two airline companies.

He said stronger air links could contribute not only to tourism but also to cultural and commercial ties.

Türkiye currently hosts about 400,000 Czech tourists, while roughly 100,000 Turkish tourists travel to Czechia, according to Oktay.

Ukraine, Middle East on agenda

Regional security and international developments are also expected to form a major part of the talks in Prague.

Oktay said the delegation would discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, noting Czech concerns about security threats stemming from Russia and Türkiye’s ability to maintain dialogue with both Moscow and Kyiv.

Türkiye has sought to position itself as a diplomatic intermediary in the conflict, maintaining political and economic ties with Russia while supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

Oktay said Ankara’s communication channels with both sides could contribute to efforts to find diplomatic solutions and that parliamentary diplomacy could complement those initiatives.

The talks are also expected to cover developments involving Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and Gaza, as well as Israel’s policies in the region, Oktay said.

The officials also discussed the developments in the Balkans, European security architecture, trans-Atlantic relations and NATO’s future posture following decisions taken at the alliance’s latest summit.

Oktay said the Prague meetings followed talks held between the two countries’ parliamentary committees in Türkiye in May, the first such committee-level meeting after a lengthy break.

He said both sides had concluded after that meeting that the range of potential cooperation was broad enough to warrant more frequent and detailed consultations.

“This is the second meeting,” Oktay said, adding that the two sides hoped to continue with third and fourth rounds without lengthy intervals.

Oktay also thanked the Turkish ambassador to Prague and embassy staff for their work and hospitality, saying the delegation had observed the services provided to Turkish citizens in Czechia during the visit.

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Türkiye plans to introduce new legislation addressing indefinite alimony payments as part of a judicial reform package expected to be presented in October, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said Monday.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the opening of the 2026-2027 judicial year in Ankara, Gürlek said the government was preparing the second part of the 12th Judicial Package, which is expected to contain between 24 and 25 provisions.

“Following the Constitutional Court’s annulment decision, we plan to implement the necessary legal regulations regarding indefinite alimony as part of the package in October,” Gürlek noted.

In a landmark ruling on June 4, Türkiye’s Constitutional Court annulled a legal provision that allows indefinite alimony payments following divorce, paving the way for a new legal framework on spousal support.

Under Article 175 of Türkiye’s Civil Code, titled “alimony for poverty,” a spouse who is expected to fall into poverty as a result of divorce may seek financial support from the other spouse in proportion to that spouse’s financial means, provided the applicant is not more at fault in the breakdown of the marriage.

The provision explicitly allows such support to be awarded on an indefinite basis, meaning Turkish law does not set a fixed time limit for alimony payments.

The minister said the package would also seek to address problems faced by lawyers and improve the functioning of judicial proceedings.

Gürlek noted that the first part of the 12th Judicial Package had already been enacted and entered into force, adding that the government aimed to bring the second part onto the agenda in October.

The event was also attended by Justice and Development Party (AK Party), Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) officials, Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor, Ankara Bar Association No. 2 President and members of the judiciary.

Gürlek said a strong legal system was essential to achieving Türkiye’s broader development goals and reiterated the government’s commitment to drafting what he described as a civilian, democratic and inclusive constitution.

“As we implement our vision for the ‘Century of Justice,’ we will continue our determination to advance the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights without abandoning our goal of a civilian, democratic and inclusive constitution,” he said.

Turning to international affairs, Gürlek criticized double standards by many Western countries in responding to human rights violations, saying they had undermined confidence in international law.

He said people in Türkiye’s surrounding region had faced displacement, genocide and massacres for decades while international institutions had often failed to respond effectively.

Gürlek argued that international legal principles were increasingly applied differently depending on the interests of powerful states and said Türkiye would continue advocating for the effective implementation of international law.

“The Turkish nation will continue to stand wherever and whenever justice and law are needed.”

Gürlek also stressed the importance of domestic unity, arguing that a stable and cohesive Türkiye would be better positioned to contribute to regional stability, global justice and peace.

“A Türkiye that is strong, peaceful and united within itself will make much greater contributions to humanity’s peace, regional stability and global justice,” he said.

He concluded that justice and legal certainty would remain the strongest foundation for a more powerful Türkiye.

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Türkiye and Greece have engaged in a moderate war of words in recent months. The two sides have occasionally taken steps that could translate into a greater conflict in the future, but they have generally favored maintaining good relations. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, however, appears to be reversing his earlier, warmer rhetoric. Mitsotakis emphasized Greece’s “inalienable right” to extend its territorial waters in the Aegean on Saturday, days after his country signed a historic defense deal with Türkiye’s archfoe, Israel. Experts say this newfound confidence could upset the relative calm.

Professor Ozan Örmeci, a political scientist and general coordinator of the International Political Academy (UPA), says Mitsotakis has, for some time, engaged in strategic moves to stir up a rift between Türkiye and the West. “He has been successful to some extent,” he told Daily Sabah on Monday. He said Greece had established a trilateral partnership with the Greek Cypriot administration and Israel and, at one point, sought closer ties with France. “Under Mitsotakis, Greece pursued an extensive armament program, whether it was Rafale jets from France, F-35 fighter jets from the United States or Eurofighter Typhoon jets from European countries,” Örmeci said. He said this newfound military strength, coupled with backing from Israel and the Israeli lobby, had led Mitsotakis to make the remarks about the islands.

At a press conference in Thessaloniki, Mitsotakis stated that Greece would extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles “whenever and however it deems fit,” according to Greek media reports. He boasted about how Greece in recent years “had the courage to implement maritime spatial planning, marine parks and strengthen its deterrent capability in the Aegean Sea.” He added that Greece would not “ask anyone’s permission on how it would arm itself.”

“In recent years, Greek foreign policy has undertaken initiatives that no government has had the courage to implement: maritime spatial planning, the initiative for marine parks, surveying, and the strengthening of our deterrent capability,” he added.

Responding to questions about Greece’s rearmament program, Mitsotakis said that while the government promotes dialogue on bilateral issues, the country will not “ask anyone’s permission on how we will arm ourselves.”

Türkiye and Greece are at odds over several issues, including competing claims to jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, overlapping claims over their continental shelves, maritime boundaries, airspace, energy, the ethnically divided island of Cyprus, and the status of the islands in the Aegean Sea. The 12-mile dispute is linked to differing interpretations of international law regarding countries’ rights to claim territorial waters extending up to 12 nautical miles. Türkiye argues that this principle does not apply to the semi-enclosed Aegean Sea, where any declaration extending territorial waters to 12 nautical miles would severely restrict Turkish access to the sea.

Örmeci pointed out that the Turkish Parliament in 1995 designated any Greek move to extend its territorial waters as casus belli, or an act that could be considered grounds for war. “So, officials should exercise greater caution in their remarks,” he said. Örmeci said it was meaningless for Mitsotakis to adopt this rhetoric as it was not “election time” in Greece and Ankara had not provoked Athens in any way. “Certainly, there have been small frictions, but we are not in an era of high tensions. Even during Mr. Mitsotakis’ visit to the NATO summit in Ankara and in his talks with the president, we did not see any friction,” Örmeci noted.

“I assume he is taking an approach that holds Türkiye responsible, perhaps partly to support the government in Israel, especially since politicians in Türkiye can also occasionally make individual statements about Israel and Greece,” he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu often turns to anti-Turkish rhetoric as he prepares for general elections.

Under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye has pursued a rapprochement with Greece after decades of lukewarm diplomatic ties and nearly two decades after the two countries came close to an all-out war over their Aegean dispute. Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis have met several times over the past two years, but their warm meetings have done little to change the state of relations over the maritime dispute.

Last week, Erdoğan warned Greece not to arm the Aegean islands in violation of past treaties.

Türkiye opposes any Greek military deployment on the eastern Aegean islands, arguing that they should remain demilitarized under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne and the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty. Greece, however, cites a “threat” from Türkiye and says it has the right under international law to defend its sovereignty. The two countries have recently been at odds over the declaration of marine parks to preserve marine biodiversity, with both accusing each other of attempting to violate their maritime borders.

“Greece should know that Türkiye has no intention of grabbing the territory of any other country, but Türkiye also has no intention of allowing anyone to violate its rights. Ignoring international treaties will not benefit anyone. Anyone who interprets Türkiye’s level-headed approach based on common sense as weakness is making a grave mistake. Greece should reverse course and stop arming demilitarized islands. History is a good guide for those who can learn from the past,” Erdoğan told journalists as he was returning from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Kyrgyzstan.

Professor Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney of the National Intelligence Academy (MIA) says Greece’s latest moves may be linked to its reaction to the Mecca Defense Alliance between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The alliance aims to boost Türkiye’s deterrence capabilities in the region, particularly as Israel pursues a policy of expansionism and seeks renewed alliances to curb Türkiye’s clout.

“There used to be a policy against Türkiye in the Eastern Mediterranean to encircle and contain its sphere of influence, and this involved Greece among other countries. Türkiye overcame this attempt through the so-called Seville Map, by clarifying its position under international law and through hard power,” Güney said, referring to a contentious academic map drawn up at the University of Seville in the early 2000s to support Greek claims to Aegean waters.

“In the current context, it is actually impossible to completely separate the Middle East from the other regions, namely the Mediterranean and the Aegean. I interpret Greece’s recent statements as a reaction to the Mecca pact. In other words, there is really no possibility of even the 12-mile issue being implemented. Türkiye’s response to this is already very clear, and it is not a new response either. Greece, in response to the alliances Türkiye has recently developed, is making these rather disconnected statements, backed by its Achilles Agreement with Israel,” she said.

Achilles Shield

Under the Achilles Shield deal signed earlier this month, Israel will supply Greece with the David’s Sling and SPYDER systems, as well as the BARAK MX system made by Israel Aerospace Industries, along with MMR multimission radars for air surveillance manufactured by IAI unit ELTA Systems. David’s Sling was used by Israel to intercept Iranian missiles during the war with Iran this year. Greece becomes the second customer for the system after Finland. Athens plans to spend about 28 billion euros ($32.52 billion) by 2036 to build the Achilles Shield multilayered anti-ballistic, anti-aircraft and anti-drone system, and to buy up to 40 F-35 fighter jets from the U.S. and frigates from France and Italy.

Güney said Türkiye’s efforts to diversify its relations and establish alliances with important middle powers in the Middle East had made both Greece and Israel “extremely uncomfortable.”

“Faced with the image of a Türkiye whose power is growing by the day, we are seeing and, I believe, will continue to see for some time, these kinds of outbursts and statements,” Güney said.

Emete Gözügüzelli, an associate professor at the Social Sciences University of Ankara, says Mitsotakis’ remarks about the nautical-mile dispute are not in compliance with international law.

“The fundamental criterion under the Law of the Sea for delimiting or determining territorial waters is equity. They cannot act contrary to the nature of the international convention. If states around the world had sought to delimit their maritime boundaries or determine maritime jurisdiction solely on the basis of a position such as, ‘This is my sovereign right, and the convention grants me this right,’ particularly in a semi-enclosed or enclosed geographical area, there would be major wars taking place around the world today,” she said.

Gözügüzelli also linked Mitsotakis’ statements to a “politics of tension” following the backing he received from Israel.

“This is a very dangerous game and a very dangerous undertaking. Türkiye’s power should not be underestimated. Otherwise, those who underestimate Türkiye’s power will disappear from this region,” she told Daily Sabah.

“Israel, Greece and the Greek Cypriots are carrying out highly strategic efforts, including deepened military and defense agreements, cybersecurity agreements, and the integration of air defense and/or airstrike systems. Software based on artificial intelligence is being developed. Planning is also being carried out on islands in coordination with Israel, including strengthening airports and air defense radar systems. At the rhetorical level, we see them attempting to bring disputes over maritime jurisdiction to the forefront of the agenda, highlighting an extremely important issue such as territorial waters, and attempting to act on this dispute through a unilateral decision and unilateral action, as though Türkiye did not exist. Not only do they have no legal right to pursue such an effort, but it would also be in everyone’s interest if all sides remembered the reality of the casus belli,” she said.

Örmeci said Mitsotakis’ “overconfidence” is “not a good thing” and that he should recognize how seriously Türkiye takes the preservation of its interests. He pointed to the Turkish Parliament’s casus belli decision. “It transcends politics,” he warned, adding that both Greece and Türkiye should refrain from altering the balance in the region.

“It is worth remembering that both countries are NATO members and that, in situations such as the Kardak crisis in the past, the United States intervened. At the time, the Clinton administration, with President Clinton himself, stepped in. If you ask whether today’s U.S. administration would care as much, perhaps not. The current president is more inward-looking and less interested in global issues and European security. But the United States will certainly not accept two of its allies coming into conflict in the Aegean. Particularly if something gets out of control, Washington will take action to stop it. The same applies to the European Union,” he said, referring to a 1996 island dispute that led to Turkish troops landing on uninhabited islets between the two countries after a tense standoff.

“The side that undermines the status quo and changes the balance should be held responsible here. And that side is clearly Greece, based on its statements,” Örmeci added.

He stated that if Mitsotakis’ remarks genuinely indicate an intention to extend the territorial waters, it would be “extremely serious.”

“It could lead to major crises in Turkish-Greek relations and in Türkiye’s relations with Western Europe. Naturally, we hope that this is not the case, because Türkiye would immediately go on high alert and enter into a war footing. That would obviously be in the interests of neither Türkiye nor Greece, nor the world,” he said. He noted that the deal with Israel demonstrated that Greece was preparing for a conflict. “This is not a good sign,” he warned.