Politics
Ankara offers to help mediate Hezbollah arrangement: Report
Türkiye approached the U.S. and Lebanon with a proposal to help broker an arrangement involving Hezbollah, according to sources quoted by The Jerusalem Post.
The initiative would see Ankara act as a mediator and take an active role in efforts to address the Hezbollah issue, the sources noted. The proposal comes as Türkiye seeks to expand its diplomatic reach in the Middle East and position itself as a regional power broker.
The U.S. administration has not given a clear response to the proposal, with officials neither accepting nor rejecting the offer, as the sources cited.
Türkiye has sought a larger role in several regional files in recent years, including in areas close to Israel. In Gaza, Ankara had aimed to participate in a planned peacekeeping force expected to be deployed under U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan, but Israel opposed the inclusion of Turkish troops.
In Syria, Türkiye has also become a significant player following the rise of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while Israel has sought to prevent Turkish military bases from being established there.
Before the current Iran-U.S. cease-fire, Türkiye said any agreement with Iran should also include Lebanon.
Most recently, Ankara delivered 360 tons of aid to displaced civilians through the Port of Beirut.
More than 1 million people have been displaced from southern Lebanon and Beirut since the start of the war.
“Türkiye will always stand by Lebanon and its friendly people,” Turkish Ambassador Lutem said at an aid delivery event. “Türkiye has consistently supported Lebanon through its official institutions and nongovernmental organizations.”
On Saturday, Netanyahu ordered the army to escalate its attacks against Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks.
More than 2,500 people have been killed, over 7,750 injured and over 1.6 million displaced by Israeli attacks across Lebanon since March 2, according to Lebanese official figures.
A 10-day cease-fire was declared between Lebanon and Israel on April 17, though Tel Aviv repeatedly violated it.
On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Lebanon and Israel agreed to extend the truce by three weeks following a second round of talks between the two sides in Washington.
Hezbollah has carried out a series of drone attacks targeting Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, citing Israel’s repeated violations of the truce.
Ten years after the July 15 coup attempt in Türkiye, new confessions continue to shed light on the highly organized efforts of the Gülenist Terror Group’s (FETÖ) secret network to ensure the plan’s success and control the narrative, both during and after the coup.
The night of July 15 saw FETÖ’s so-called “secret elders” act in total coordination, according to security sources.
Meanwhile, court records reveal a systematic effort, including messages showing how they aimed to facilitate the coup seamlessly.
One key example is the instructions from FETÖ’s police leader, Temel Alsancak. That night, Alsancak sent a message to FETÖ-affiliated police officers: “Do not resist the soldiers carrying out the coup; do not clash with them.”
This call sought to ensure no resistance, effectively encouraging the country’s surrender to the coup plotters. These orders were later confirmed in confessions and social media posts from FETÖ insiders.
The coordination went beyond the police. FETÖ’s information technology wing organized attacks on broadcasting hubs like TRT, TürkSat and DigiTürk, overseen by civilian engineers who reported to their “elders” in both Ankara and Istanbul.
All FETÖ members worked to secure the coup’s success, including members of the administration who tried to silence public calls to resist in some regions.
Coordination within the organization wasn’t limited to the night of the coup alone. Ebuseleme Gülen, the niece of FETÖ leader Fethullah Gülen, confessed via YouTube that after July 15, vast sums were collected to fund long-term perception campaigns targeting children and youth.
Under Fethullah Gülen’s direct orders, a team led by Adil Öksüz was tasked with developing digital content, including games and animations, to harm President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s reputation and depict the July 15 events as justified and heroic.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Tuesday that Türkiye opened a new chapter after the failed July 15, 2016, coup attempt was defeated through public resistance, arguing that subsequent reforms strengthened the country’s democratic and institutional resilience.
Erdoğan made the remarks in a written message sent to a symposium titled “July 15 in Its 10th Year: Political and Legal Dimensions,” organized by the Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) Political and Legal Affairs Department at the party’s headquarters in Ankara.
He said the true intentions of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), which is responsible for the coup attempt, became clear on the night of July 15.
Erdoğan accused the group of exploiting people’s religious and charitable sentiments for four decades under the guise of service, donations and education.
“The successful defeat of the coup attempt through the resistance of our cherished nation opened an entirely new chapter for Türkiye,” Erdoğan noted.
He commemorated the 253 people killed during the coup attempt and expressed gratitude to those who were wounded.
Erdoğan said Türkiye had both removed what he described as a clandestine terrorist network embedded in state institutions and taken measures to safeguard its democracy.
He identified the presidential system of government, introduced following a 2017 referendum, as one of the most significant changes made after the coup attempt.
The president said the system eliminated dual authority within the executive branch, accelerated decision-making and strengthened the state’s ability to manage crises.
He cited Türkiye’s response to the Russia-Ukraine war, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Feb. 6 earthquakes and what he described as the latest Iran-centered crisis as examples of the system’s effectiveness.
Turkish leader also vowed that Türkiye would continue its campaign against FETÖ within the framework of the law.
“We will never take a step back in the fight against FETÖ,” he stressed, adding that authorities would continue working to prevent another attempted coup.
TCG Istanbul, a frigate of the Turkish navy, made a port visit to Syria’s Latakia on Monday, the Ministry of National Defense announced. Aboard it was Adm. Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, head of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
The ministry said it was the first time the navy visited neighboring Syria since the collapse of the Assad regime in 2024.
Latakia has long been a stronghold of Bashar Assad, an avowed enemy of Türkiye, which sought diplomacy with the Assad regime in the first years of the civil war to end the conflict.
After forces led by incumbent President Ahmed al-Sharaa overthrew the Baathist regime, Türkiye rekindled relations with Syria, pledging to help with its rebuilding.
Last week, an engineering brigade of the Turkish army set up a 240-meter-long floating bridge on a part of the Euphrates River in Syria’s Deir Az-Zour.
Al-Sharaa was in Türkiye last week, where he met President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the margins of a NATO summit in Ankara.
In 2025, two countries signed a comprehensive security agreement that includes joint military training and exchange of expertise and know-how in matters of security.
Latakia, where the frigate anchored at, also carries significance for Türkiye as a major hub in the Eastern Mediterranean where Turkish interests are abundant. Türkiye has been vigilant against Israel-Greek Cypriot cooperation in the region and seeks to defend the rights of Turkish Cypriots in the divided island, especially in terms of maritime borders where Greek Cypriots seek to exploit hydrocarbon resources unilaterally.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived in Doha on Tuesday to offer his condolences following the death of the country’s former emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Upon arrival, Erdoğan met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Sheikh Hamad, who ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013, died Sunday at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness. He was laid to rest at Lusail Cemetery in Doha, while Qatari authorities declared four days of national mourning.
The former emir stepped down in 2013, handing power to his son, the current Emir Sheikh Tamim.
In a condolence message shared Sunday, Erdoğan described Sheikh Hamad as “a very valuable friend” and credited him with making significant contributions to the development of Türkiye-Qatar relations.
The Turkish president said the former emir had played an important role in advancing political, economic, military, humanitarian and cultural ties between the two countries during their years of cooperation.
Erdoğan also praised Sheikh Hamad’s efforts for the stability of the region, the well-being of the Qatari people and peace across the Islamic world.
“Türkiye’s place is not in the waiting room of Europe,” Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli said Tuesday.
The government ally lamented that the European Union acted with political calculations instead of seeing the reality about Türkiye. “Türkiye’s membership process has been assessed based more on political judgment than technical criteria,” he told a parliamentary group meeting of his party in Ankara. “They blocked chapters of accession, postponed their responsibility and have not fulfilled their promises while Türkiye’s fair expectations have been overshadowed by (Europe’s own) agenda,” he said.
Bahçeli’s remarks are a reflection of Türkiye’s oft-repeated frustration with the bloc and come at a time when Türkiye strives for another shot at membership as the continent explores collaboration options, especially for security in the shadow of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Earlier this month, Türkiye hosted a NATO summit attended by EU heads of state and government. The summit was also an occasion for Türkiye to call for more cooperation with European Union countries, especially in defense.
The MHP itself has been a target of European Parliament reports critical of the country, with calls for the criminalization of Ülkü Ocakları or Idealists’ Clubs, known as Grey Wolves in Europe, an affiliate of the party.
“Europe narrowed its strategic horizon by keeping Türkiye in its waiting room. They think Europe will remain strong by excluding Türkiye, but I suggest they see the security and stability challenges they face now. Europe is increasingly facing a strategic uncertainty,” Bahçeli stated.
Bahçeli also hit out at Greece’s stance on Türkiye’s relations with the European Union. “It is neither smart nor sustainable to limit Europe’s security with political calculations of Athens,” he said.
“Third countries cannot hold Turkish-European relations hostage,” Bahçeli added. Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration often oppose Türkiye’s ambitions for EU membership or the expansion of security and defense cooperation between the bloc and Ankara.
“No country has the right to present its own problems with other countries as a joint security challenge for the entire Europe,” he underlined.
The office of Özgür Özel, who was ousted from his post as chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) last May, announced that they would seek an extraordinary congress in a reelection bid. They formally applied to a local court for an order to the new administration to hold the congress.
An Ankara court has ruled that Özel’s tenure was null and void in a case where his associates were accused of buying votes during a 2023 intraparty election. Özel won that election, ending the lengthy rule of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated to the office after the May verdict. Since then, Özel and his supporters have been plotting a return to the administration of Türkiye’s oldest party.
Kılıçdaroğlu has signaled that his administration may soon hold a congress for a new election, but Özel, who is now reduced to the job of parliamentary group chair of the CHP, sought to speed up the process before the 2028 general elections, which may also be rescheduled to 2027.
Özel’s office said they collected signatures of 833 delegates for a petition for a new congress. The statement said the signatures were delivered to the Kılıçdaroğlu administration on June 17, in line with the legal deadline, but the administration failed to act upon the call. “In line with Article 75 of Turkish Civil Law, application by one member of the administrative board of the party is sufficient to hold a meeting, for formation of a delegation to organize the congress,” the statement said.
Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu are engaged in a well-publicized row over the future of the divided CHP. Kılıçdaroğlu earlier vowed to “cleanse” the CHP of corruption associated with Özel supporters in the party while Özel accused him of serving the interests of the government to disrupt what he calls CHP’s rise to power.
Özel has signaled earlier that he may establish a new party. Speaking to private broadcaster TV100 on Monday, Kılıçdaroğlu said he would respect Özel’s “fight” within the party. “But they have no right to run a parallel structure in the party,” he said, referring to Özel’s nationwide campaign to seek support while the Kılıçdaroğlu administration continues to expel provincial branch directors of the CHP loyal to Özel.
“We may have a debate among ourselves, but we cannot be divided. If they decided to split because I am purging the corrupt ones, this is a grave situation,” he said. “You cannot remain in the party, remain its parliamentary group chair while working to establish a new party,” he stated.
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoThe upper echelons of the state told about their witness to the treacherous attempt! Berat Albayrak: That night was an unprecedented epic
-
Economy3 days agoTurkish ship, yacht exports hit $1.5B in H1, sector eyes new record
-
Politics24 hours agoErdoğan receives Pakistan’s Munir as defense chief begins Türkiye visit
-
Economy3 days agoChina’s economy likely slowed down in Q2: Survey
-
Daily Agenda1 day agoThe upper echelons of the state told what they witnessed about the treacherous attempt: FETO’s dirty plans were prevented by the power of the people
-
Politics3 days agoTürkiye says European Parliament’s Cyprus resolution ‘null and void’
-
Politics1 day agoGreek FM insists maintaining dialogue with Türkiye
-
Daily Agenda2 days agoHe donated 150 thousand liras to the Turkish Red Crescent