Politics
Erdoğan vows Türkiye will stand with Palestinians amid Gaza plan
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reiterated Türkiye’s support for Palestinians as a new plan by the U.S. pushes for peace in the Palestinian territories amid Israel’s ongoing genocide.
Addressing the opening of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Erdoğan said Parliament, representing all our citizens, showed the strongest reaction to Israel’s ongoing genocide.
“The genocide motion the Turkish Parliament accepted in August sent a powerful message to Israel,” he said.
“Our Parliament became the voice of our nation’s conscience with its uncompromising stance against the massacres in Gaza, with a seven-point joint declaration by all parties. The latest motion approved on Aug. 29 in particular served as a strong message for those turning a blind eye to oppression,” he said, referring to the inaction of other countries against Israel’s genocide.
Erdoğan also hailed the efforts of Parliament in the context of parliamentary diplomacy, which it has established for the Palestinian cause in collaboration with other Parliaments around the world.
The president was in New York last week, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly in a speech particularly targeting Israel’s oppression. Erdoğan reminded his audience of his speech and said he has always been a loud voice for the Palestinian cause. He said himself, Türkiye and the government were subject to defamation campaigns for defending the cause, but they maintained their dignified stance.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday unveiled a 20-point peace plan he said would halt Israel’s devastating war on the besieged Gaza Strip, prevent further forced displacement of Palestinians and secure the release of all hostages, presenting it as a framework shaped through consultations with Arab and Muslim partners. The plan involves “demilitarizing” Gaza, where Israel and Hamas will exchange hostages and prisoners. Hamas has yet to respond to the proposal, while Erdoğan has broadly stated that they would support efforts for peace. Türkiye and Qatar are also currently mediating the issue with Hamas. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın traveled to Qatar on Tuesday to attend the mediation efforts.
“We will never abandon the heroic sons and daughters of Gaza resisting occupying forces attacking with the most modern weaponry,” he said.
He also referred to Türkiye’s delivery of more than 102,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Gaza and cutting off all trade with Israel, as well as joining an international genocide trial against Israel. “We stood with our Gazan brothers with countless diplomatic, legal and economic steps. They are the witness of our efforts,” Erdoğan said.
“We devoted our lives to the Palestinian cause, will defend the right of Palestine, our first qibla, sacred Jerusalem, to our last breath. Granting peace for Palestinians is a debt of the Islamic world and the international community to the Palestinians. Türkiye will work to ensure that not a single bomb is dropped on Palestinians anymore,” he said.
“I have no doubt that history will record that the Republic of Türkiye was a monument of conscience in this age for its principled stand on Gaza,” he added. Referring to his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump last week, the president said ending bloodshed in Gaza topped the agenda of their meeting, and he presented Türkiye’s proposals on the matter to ensure a lasting peace.
“Our principle is that the war has no winners and a fair peace has no losers,” he said. “Our Palestinian brothers and sisters deserve the peace most,” he added.
“Despite so much suffering, despite the blood of innocent people in the hands of killers, we adhere to our hopes. Allah willing, we will see better days where peace and security reign, from river to sea,” he said, using a famous slogan for the Palestinian cause, to the applause of lawmakers.
Terror-free Türkiye
Exactly one year ago, Türkiye informally launched a “terror-free initiative” at Parliament, during the start of the legislative year. The issue that involves the disarmament of the PKK terrorist group, naturally, made its way into Erdoğan’s speech. He has championed the plan that was first suggested by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in October 2024.
“In one year, historic steps were taken to achieve a terror-free Türkiye,” Erdoğan said, before thanking Bahçeli as “architect of terror-free Türkiye ideal.”
Erdoğan, who shook hands with lawmakers from the opposition Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) after his speech, also thanked the party. In fact, the initiative’s first signal was Bahçeli’s unprecedented handshake with lawmakers from the DEM Party, whom he had repeatedly torn apart in his speeches in the past.
The president pointed out that the terrorist group had ceased its attacks in the past year and announced its dissolution before burning weapons in a symbolic ceremony.
“Thus, this terror problem that has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1984 and cost economic losses amounting to $2 trillion, has come to a point where it will end,” he hailed.
“We are fully aware that this process is extremely sensitive; however, from the very beginning, we have approached it with optimism and continue to make every effort to maintain that positive outlook. From this podium, I want to reiterate: The Republic of Türkiye will never kneel before any worldly power, will not submit, concede, or negotiate its sovereignty under any circumstances,” he said. He was responding to criticism of the initiative portrayed as Türkiye’s bargain with the PKK. The government has repeatedly said that the initiative is strictly unilateral in terms of disarmament, and the PKK was not offered anything in return in exchange for dissolution.
“In this regard, if there are citizens who have doubts, possibly stirred by provocations from some opposition parties, I want to assure them all that they can rest easy. Especially the honorable families of our martyrs and our veterans should know that neither the government, nor our partner in the People’s Alliance, the Nationalist Movement Party, nor this esteemed Parliament will allow any steps that would cast a shadow over their sacred memories. Our goal is to eradicate terrorism and foster unity and brotherhood. Every step we take is aimed solely and exclusively at this objective. Without a doubt, the most important center for realizing our ideal of a terror-free Türkiye is right here: the Turkish Parliament,” Erdoğan said.
After the PKK started burning weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq, Parliament established a National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee exclusively for the initiative. The committee, comprised of lawmakers, is chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and was the only working body of Parliament during the summer recess. So far, 91 people from diverse backgrounds have addressed the committee, which first convened in August. Participants included ministers, the intelligence chief, victims of PKK terrorism, families of PKK members, academics, representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and more. Although not without arguments and heated debates, the committee was a rare occasion where bickering parties maintained unity, and people with sharply contrasting views had a platform to raise their voices.
“When the commission completes its work, we will undoubtedly have very important data at hand,” Erdoğan said on Wednesday. The committee will serve as a guide to Parliament’s general assembly, which is expected to implement legislation to accelerate the initiative, such as rumored leniency in sentencing of PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism.
“The implementation of the proposals raised in the commission, through consultation and consensus, will mark the next phase. What matters here is that Türkiye’s domestic, national and solution-oriented political parties take responsibility for such a vital issue, come together under this committee, engage in dialogue, listen respectfully to one another and consult openly. This is a remarkable achievement that gives us great hope for our country’s democracy. This committee has also demonstrated that solutions cannot be achieved with weapons, nor can clenched fists greet each other in peace. Everything can be discussed, debated and consulted within a framework of respect,” he said.
Erdoğan also spoke about the future of the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG in neighboring Syria and signaled Türkiye’s patience was running out. The YPG is the Syrian wing of the PKK and has been reluctant to join the PKK for disarmament so far, striving to distinguish itself from the terrorist group based in Iraq. The YPG in March signed a deal with the new administration in Syria for its integration into the Syrian army. The issue is critical for Türkiye, which hopes for a smooth transition in post-Assad Syria for the YPG. In the past, Türkiye launched cross-border offensives to drive out the YPG from its immediate border with Syria.
“We engage in diplomacy for Syria’s territorial integrity and against terrorist risks beyond our borders, but we will not allow a deja vu situation in Syria,” Erdoğan said amid the YPG’s push for a self-styled autonomy despite the Damascus deal, implying another military operation as Türkiye did in Syria in the past. He underlined that Türkiye was against the fragmentation of Syria.
Erdoğan said a terror-free Türkiye also benefits people abroad, particularly Kurds.
“Türkiye is not only the homeland of Kurds within its borders but also the greatest, most sincere, and most reliable protector and brother of Kurds beyond its borders. In difficult times, Türkiye is the first refuge whose door is knocked on. This has been true for centuries, is true today and will remain so tomorrow, Allah willing, never to change,” he said.
“We will never allow our Kurdish brothers beyond our borders to be exploited by certain terrorist groups or by some countries and groups hostile to Turks, Kurds, Arabs and Muslims in general. From the beginning, we have strongly supported Syria’s territorial integrity. Today, we firmly oppose any plans to divide Syria. To ensure Syria’s territorial integrity and to prevent any terrorist formations beyond our borders, we have activated all diplomatic channels. Our principled stance is not against the people of Syria, including our Kurdish brothers, but quite the opposite; it is in their favor and aimed at freeing the region from the scourge of terrorism,” he added.
“Allah willing, tomorrow and forever, the Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance will secure and strengthen peace, stability, development and prosperity in the region. We believe this with all our hearts,” Erdoğan said.
Israel’s recent strikes on a military base in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province and the use of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s image in an election poster by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party bearing the slogan “They want Netanyahu to lose” are seen by experts as signs of the growing political and strategic pressure Netanyahu is facing.
“The circumstantial aspect of the issue is that, as Israel heads into an election period, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main concern is finding a new political target,” Gökhan Çınkara, an associate professor at Necmettin Erbakan University and director of the Global and Regional Studies Center, told Daily Sabah.
“This was already evident in the campaign poster he used for the election,” he said, adding that the decline in support for Netanyahu’s Likud party could be seen as another indication of the pressure he faces.
As Israel’s Oct. 27 elections approach, political parties have stepped up their campaigning.
A new election poster displayed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party on a billboard in Tel Aviv features images of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan alongside Iranian leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem and New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“They want Netanyahu to lose. Don’t let them win,” as seen in the poster.
The campaign comes amid an increase in rhetoric targeting Türkiye and President Erdoğan by Israeli politicians ahead of the Oct. 27 vote.
Çınkara also remarked that Netanyahu’s political predicament and lack of a clear policy agenda has led him to target figures such as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in an effort to consolidate his electoral base.
Alongside Netanyahu’s campaign move involving Erdoğan, diplomatic pressure on Tel Aviv is also mounting over the war in Gaza. On Tuesday, Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, met Netanyahu to discuss efforts toward a cease-fire in Gaza.
The talks, which lasted about four hours, focused on obstacles to a cease-fire and arrangements for the postwar period. According to U.S. media reports, Kushner urged Netanyahu not to obstruct efforts to reach a cease-fire agreement.
Ufuk Necat Taşçı, assistant professor of International Relations at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University also noted that Israel entered the conflict with Iran on the basis of flawed intelligence assessments, while largely failing to achieve its main objectives.
He pointed to factors including Gadi Eisenkot’s growing political prominence and internal divisions within Netanyahu’s Likud party as signs of mounting domestic pressure.
As Kushner met Netanyahu, Trump also made remarks on Gaza, pointing to Hamas’ decision to lay down its arms.
“Israel should stop bombing Gaza,” Trump said.
Trump also stated it would not be appropriate for him to become directly involved in Israel’s Oct. 27 elections, though he said he could endorse a candidate.
Furthermore, Merve Suna Özel Özcan, associate professor and the vice chair of the International Relations Department at Kırıkkale University, said anti-Türkiye rhetoric is increasingly being used as a tool for electoral mobilization in Israel, with President Erdoğan portrayed not only as a regional rival but also as an external threat that could help Netanyahu rally support and bolster his political position.
She noted that portraying Türkiye as a potential security threat is not a new development in Israel, pointing to the Nagel Committee report, which had previously raised concerns over Ankara’s growing regional influence, particularly in Syria.
“Against this backdrop, Erdoğan’s appearance in Israeli election propaganda and the targeting of potential Turkish military capabilities in Syria should not be viewed as developments that emerged overnight,” the expert said. “Rather, they are the political and military manifestations of a threat narrative that has been developing for some time.”
Recently, Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper known for its criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, published an analysis arguing that Netanyahu has portrayed Türkiye as a major threat in an apparent effort to gain an electoral advantage while also examining Ankara’s bid to acquire F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
The analysis recalled that President Erdoğan and U.S. President Trump projected a warm rapport during the NATO summit in Ankara and that Washington signaled openness to a potential F-35 sale to Türkiye. It said those developments have been met with growing concern within both the Israeli government and the Israeli public, stating: “The election is approaching, and the ‘Mr. Security’ campaign has begun. In a calculated move, Benjamin Netanyahu last week launched a blitz of interviews, phone calls and statements in an attempt to block the sale of F-35 jets to Türkiye.”
Özcan offered that the changing regional environment following the Mecca Agreement should also be taken into consideration, while cautioning against portraying the agreement as an anti-Israel alliance.
All three countries support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict based on the 1967 borders, the expert noted.
“From Israel’s perspective, therefore, the issue is not simply the emergence of another military mechanism, but the possibility that regional powers are beginning to build their own security and stability architecture,” she emphasized.
In an interview with the UAE-based The National, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan last month discussed tensions between Türkiye and Israel, as well as the Israeli government’s regional policies.
Fidan said there was no reason for a direct confrontation between Türkiye and Israel, arguing that Netanyahu has increasingly resorted to hostile rhetoric as he seeks a new political adversary ahead of the country’s upcoming elections.
Aylin Ünver Noi, professor of International Relations and Vice Rector of Beykoz University, indicated that “This should be viewed as an attempt to group together figures who oppose Israel’s regional policies, particularly its policies toward Hamas and the Palestinians.”
Whether the strategy will prove effective remains uncertain, she said, but the choice of figures featured in the campaign is significant because they have been associated with opposition to Israeli policies on the Palestinian issue.
“Türkiye and, in this context, the New York mayor should also be assessed from this perspective,” the expert added.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said last month that the city cannot enforce the international arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but called on the federal government to act.
In the video, Mamdani described the Israeli prime minister as a “war criminal” and said he is not welcome in New York City.
“It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” he said in a video posted on X. “The federal government, however, does and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant,” he added, referring to the International Criminal Court.
Noi also described Türkiye’s broader foreign policy as focused on promoting regional and international stability and peace, pointing to Ankara’s diplomatic engagement in several conflict zones stretching from the Balkans and the South Caucasus to conflicts in Africa.
Israel, aggression in Syria
Israel has been carrying out incursions into Syrian territory since the December 2024 since the overthrow of the ousted Bashar Assad regime, including sending troops into a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone that separated Israeli and Syrian forces in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights since 1974.
Israel, on Tuesday, carried out airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, drawing attention from both Türkiye and regional countries.
Özcan stated that Israel’s latest strike in Syria should also be assessed within this broader context, arguing that the targeting of Abu al-Duhur Air Base could reflect Israeli concerns over Türkiye’s potential future military capabilities in the country.
“Although the base has remained largely inactive for some time, its potential future use by Türkiye suggests that Israel is concerned not only about existing threats but also about capabilities that could emerge in the future,” she said.
In a statement issued Aug. 18, the Foreign Ministry of Türkiye condemned the Israeli forces that carried out airstrikes on the military facility, located in the Idlib countryside, in the early hours of Tuesday.
“We strongly condemn the airstrikes carried out by Israel early this morning against the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base in the countryside of Syria’s Idlib,” the ministry said.
The ministry criticized Israel for “recklessly” continuing attacks targeting Syria’s infrastructure and capabilities while violating the country’s territorial integrity and unity.
Ankara also urged the international community to take a firmer stance against Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions in Syria.
Çınkara also added that another key issue for Israel since the Oct. 7 attacks has been how to restore its eroded deterrence.
“Against this backdrop, Israel tends to perceive virtually any military activity in the region as a potential threat,” he underlined. “This has become one of the main factors driving Israel’s increasingly aggressive military posture in places such as Lebanon and Syria.”
Meanwhile, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran also strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur Military Air Base.
“These attacks targeting Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and infrastructure are a continuation of a reckless policy of aggression that threatens regional peace and stability,” Duran noted.
He said that Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, would continue to support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and oppose any attempt that threatens peace and stability in the region.
“Israel does not want a strong, unitary state on its border because it perceives such a state as a potential security threat,” Noi argued.
She also said the latest Israeli strikes should also be assessed against efforts to rehabilitate Syrian military infrastructure and Türkiye’s close relations with the new Syrian authorities.
“Türkiye has a fundamentally different approach,” Noi stressed. “Ankara wants to see a strong, unitary Syrian state and seeks to ensure its own security through stable relations with its neighbors.”
Türkiye’s broader regional policy is based on having stable and capable states along its borders and developing cooperative relations with them, according to her.
U.S. special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Thursday that Washington is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Türkiye and Syria following an Israeli strike on a Syrian air base near the Turkish border.
Referring to the possibility of a Turkish military response, Barrack said Türkiye, after observing aircraft heading toward its territory, may have “understandably prepared to respond.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls Tuesday with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, diplomatic sources said.
Fidan and his Qatari counterpart discussed the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the sources.
In a separate call with al-Shaibani, Fidan discussed the latest developments in the region.
The calls came amid heightened attention on regional developments and the situation surrounding the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Fidan met with his Qatari counterpart, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, on July 19, a few days after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to the country to extend condolences for the late emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
Türkiye and Qatar have steadily deepened their strategic partnership since establishing it in 2014 through high-level exchanges and bilateral agreements spanning a wide range of fields.
On the other hand, Fidan hosted his Syrian counterpart, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, in Ankara on July 6 as the two neighboring countries continue to deepen relations following the collapse of the Baathist regime in 2024.
Regarding the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, Syria’s top diplomat stressed that the fighting in the region should come to an end as soon as possible. He noted that the regional tensions were also affecting Syria and said Damascus condemned Iran’s attacks against the Gulf countries.
Civil society groups supporting Palestinians will hold simultaneous events in more than 17 countries on Wednesday to call for greater humanitarian access to Gaza as the world marks World Humanitarian Day.
The global initiative, called the “Voice of Humanity,” will take place across five continents on Aug. 19, according to Osman Nuri Kabaktepe, head of the Palestine Support Platform, one of the organizations participating in the campaign.
Speaking at a news conference in Istanbul, Kabaktepe called on the public to support the initiative, saying access to food, medicine, shelter and healthcare should be regarded as a fundamental right rather than a concession.
“We are talking about a right, not a favor,” Kabaktepe noted, arguing that restrictions on humanitarian assistance have left civilians in Gaza struggling to obtain essential supplies.
Kabaktepe said tens of thousands of civilians have been killed during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and that children, women, patients and other vulnerable people continue to face difficulties accessing food and medical supplies.
He also accused Israel of failing to comply with provisions on humanitarian assistance under a cease-fire agreement, saying the arrangement envisaged the entry of at least 600 aid trucks into Gaza each day.
Kabaktepe called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor and urged international organizations and institutions to work to ensure the delivery of aid into the Palestinian enclave.
As part of Wednesday’s campaign, supporters in Istanbul are expected to gather at Üsküdar Square at 6:30 p.m. local time.
Organizers will call for humanitarian assistance to be kept separate from political negotiations and for restrictions on aid deliveries to Gaza to be lifted.
“Humanitarian aid cannot be a matter of negotiation,” Kabaktepe underlined.
He urged international organizations and governments to increase efforts to secure humanitarian access to Gaza.
World Humanitarian Day is observed annually on Aug. 19 to recognize humanitarian workers and people affected by crises around the world.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi discussed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and preserve the cease-fire in a phone call Monday, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The two ministers reviewed the latest developments in ongoing negotiations concerning the reopening of the strategic waterway and the continuation of the cease-fire, according to the sources.
The two top diplomats spoke amid ongoing tensions in the region, with suspected Iranian drones targeting Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani’s office in Irbil on Monday.
Meanwhile, Fidan also held separate phone calls with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Nechirvan Barzani and KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Monday, Foreign Ministry sources said. The talks focused on the latest developments in the region, the sources added.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan congratulated newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham during a phone call Monday, as the two leaders pledged to deepen the strategic partnership between Türkiye and the United Kingdom, particularly in defense, security, trade and investment.
Erdoğan and Burnham discussed bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments, according to a statement on the call.
Erdoğan congratulated Burnham on assuming his new post and expressed confidence that relations between Ankara and London would reach new heights in the coming period.
The president highlighted the significant progress Türkiye and the U.K. have made in cooperation across a broad range of areas, particularly in the defense industry.
He also underscored the importance of the Strategic Partnership Framework Document and the Security and Defense Partnership Document signed by the two countries, describing them as key instruments for strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Erdoğan said Ankara and London would continue working together to increase bilateral trade volume and achieve their shared objectives in investment, while building on the growing strategic partnership between the two NATO allies.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed Türkiye-U.S. ties and pressing regional and global developments in a phone call, with the Turkish leader stressing the need to maximize diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.
Erdoğan told Trump that Türkiye hoped negotiations between Iran and the United States would continue, emphasizing that Ankara would maintain its support for efforts aimed at securing peace, according to a statement from the Presidential Communications Directorate.
The president also highlighted the joint defense agreement signed by Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, saying the pact demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring regional stability and security.
Turning to Gaza, Erdoğan warned that Israeli actions targeting Palestinians had intensified at a time when efforts were focused on advancing to the second phase of the Gaza peace process.
He reiterated that Türkiye would continue supporting steps toward lasting peace in the region as well as efforts to rebuild the war-ravaged Gaza Strip.
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