Politics
Turkish Parliament discusses regional war in closed-door session
Türkiye’s Parliament held a rare closed-door session on Tuesday to discuss the escalating war between the U.S., Israel and Iran and its potential consequences for Türkiye and the wider Middle East, as officials warned that the crisis reflects a broader breakdown in the international system.
The meeting of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) was chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and attended by senior government officials, including Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, along with leaders and deputies of the country’s political parties.
The closed session came amid rising tensions across the region following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory actions, raising concerns about a wider regional conflict and its implications for Türkiye’s security and diplomacy.
Opening the session, Kurtulmuş said recent developments in the Middle East were exposing deep structural problems in the global political order and warned that international norms were increasingly being undermined.
“We are all witnessing that the recent events reveal profound tremors regarding the nature of the international system,” Kurtulmuş told lawmakers in his opening address. “The attacks against Iran have further destabilized an already fragile balance in our region.”
He said the ongoing conflict should not be viewed solely through a military lens, arguing that it reflects a broader crisis in the rules-based international order. “The picture we are facing cannot be explained merely as a military development,” he said. “What we see is a systemic crisis where the use of force is increasingly replacing the rule of law and where international mechanisms are being rendered ineffective.”
Kurtulmuş added that global institutions designed to maintain peace and enforce international law were losing their ability to restrain powerful states.
“There are rules, but they cannot be applied against the powerful,” he said. “Concepts such as legitimacy, sovereignty, diplomacy and deterrence are being eroded.”
According to Kurtulmuş, the erosion of the rules-based international system signals a broader transformation in global politics.
“It must be clearly stated that the international system has entered a serious phase of disintegration in terms of its nature and functioning,” he said. “Law is being replaced by power, principles by arbitrariness, and collective conscience by strategic calculations.”
Kurtulmuş also highlighted the humanitarian consequences of ongoing conflicts in the region, pointing to civilian casualties in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.
“The heaviest price is always paid by civilians,” he said. “The humanitarian tragedy caused by the killings, starvation and destruction in Gaza continues with all its weight. Now the suffering of civilians in Iran and the deepening losses in Lebanon stand before us as new chapters of this tragedy.”
He said there was no difference between the pain of victims across the region, saying, “The pain of innocent people buried in Gaza’s soil is no different from the pain of those who lost their lives in Iran or Lebanon.”
Kurtulmuş also stressed that Türkiye could not remain silent in the face of regional injustice and instability.
“Our moral and political stance as a nation is clear,” he said. “Our civilization and historical consciousness require us to speak the truth openly against injustice. Remaining silent in such times is not neutrality but often the most comfortable refuge of oppression.”
“Türkiye cannot remain silent in such times. This Parliament cannot remain silent.”
The speaker argued that several crises across the Middle East, including those in Gaza, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen and Somalia, were interconnected and reflected broader regional instability.
He also said Israel’s policies toward neighboring countries had been a major driver of escalating tensions in the region. “The aggressive line pursued by Israel toward regional countries has become a determining factor,” Kurtulmuş said.
At the same time, he warned that a widening conflict could draw in more actors and deepen global instability, calling for an immediate halt to attacks and for diplomatic solutions to prevent the conflict from expanding.
Kurtulmuş emphasized that Türkiye was pursuing an active diplomatic approach aimed at preventing further escalation, noting that Türkiye evaluates regional developments not only in terms of power balances but also their humanitarian, legal and political consequences. “Our state acts with a principled, calm and results-oriented diplomacy,” he said.
He also underscored that Türkiye would continue diplomatic efforts while safeguarding its national security and regional stability.
“While making the strongest efforts for peace, we also have the capability and determination to protect our national security, our borders and the peace of our people,” he said.
Kurtulmuş said Ankara would not allow regional turmoil to undermine its internal security initiatives, including efforts to combat terrorism.
“No attempt will be allowed to transform regional shocks into new instability through terrorist organizations or proxy actors,” he remarked.
He also criticized what he described as double standards in international reactions to violations of sovereignty in the region. “Violations of the sovereignty of regional states have created a deep crisis of confidence in global public opinion,” he said.
Kurtulmuş further accused Israel’s leadership of fueling regional instability, describing its policies as dangerous and unsustainable. He argued that the main problem in the region was the “aggressive and lawless” approach of Israel’s current leadership and its supporters.
“A governing mentality that throws the region into flames and disregards law and conscience cannot be sustainable,” he stressed.
Minister’s briefing
Following Kurtulmuş’s remarks, Parliament moved into a closed session, during which journalists and visitors were asked to leave the chamber.
Security measures were tightened inside the assembly’s building, with press offices cleared, doors locked and signal-blocking jammers activated.
During the session, Foreign Minister Fidan and Defense Minister Güler delivered briefings to lawmakers on the latest developments in the Middle East conflict and its possible implications for Türkiye.
According to parliamentary officials, both ministers spoke for about 30 minutes each, providing updates on diplomatic efforts and security assessments.
After the briefings, representatives of political party groups addressed the assembly for 20 minutes each, expressing their views on the unfolding regional crisis. Two lawmakers from parties without parliamentary groups also spoke during the session.
The closed meeting lasted approximately four hours.
At the end of the session, Deputy Parliament Speaker Pervin Buldan announced that the assembly would reconvene on Wednesday at 2 p.m. local time.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas held a phone call to review the latest developments surrounding the ongoing two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran, diplomatic sources said Friday.
According to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources, Fidan and Kallas spoke on the latest situation under the ceasefire between Washington and Tehran.
The two officials also exchanged views on the broader global implications of the temporary truce, the sources said.
The U.S. and Iran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, brokered by Pakistan, as a step toward a possible broader agreement to halt the conflict on Iran the U.S. and Israel launched on Feb. 28 that has left thousands dead and wounded.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has completed an indictment against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and 34 other officials, accusing them of crimes including genocide, crimes against humanity and torture over a raid on the Gaza-bound Sumud aid flotilla.
Turkish Prosecutors named Netanyahu and 34 other senior political and military figures as suspects for committing genocide, crimes against humanity, torture, looting and unlawful detention.
The case, initiated during the tenure of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek as Istanbul chief prosecutor, has now moved into the judicial phase following the acceptance of the indictment.
According to the prosecution, the operation against the Sumud Flotilla was not an isolated action but a “planned, organized and joint act” carried out at the highest levels of the Israeli state.
The flotilla, described as an international civilian initiative, was transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza when it was intercepted by Israeli forces. Armed personnel boarded the vessels, forcibly stopped their movement and detained civilians on board.
Victims were reportedly taken to Israel, held for a period of time and later deported. Testimonies included in the indictment describe physical violence, degrading treatment and prolonged coercion.
Prosecutors said the acts were systematic, pointing to injuries including fractures and concluding that the treatment amounted to torture under Turkish law.
The indictment also details the seizure of humanitarian aid supplies and personal belongings, which were allegedly taken by force by Israel and not returned, forming the basis for aggravated looting charges. Damage to ship equipment was also cited.
Crucially, prosecutors linked the flotilla raid to broader genocide in Gaza, arguing it forms part of a wider pattern of actions targeting civilians, including deprivation of basic needs and forced displacement.
On that basis, the suspects are charged not only with individual offenses but also under provisions related to crimes against humanity and genocide.
The prosecution emphasized Türkiye’s responsibility to investigate violations of fundamental rights regardless of where they occur, especially when its citizens are affected.
Given that the suspects are abroad, prosecutors requested that the trial proceed under fugitive procedures, allowing the case to move forward in their absence.
Demonstrators gathered in several Turkish cities on Friday to protest a move by Israel’s parliament to introduce the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners, with rallies taking place after Friday prayers and drawing participation from civil society groups, students and local residents.
In the capital, protesters assembled at the courtyard of the Hacı Bayram-ı Veli Mosque following Friday prayers in an event organized by the Palestine Support Platform. Participants condemned the proposed legislation and voiced opposition to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.
Speaking on behalf of the platform, board member Muhammed Cihad Çiğdem described the measure as “a clear violation of law” and denounced what he called Israel’s actions in the region. He said the decision to legalize executions for Palestinian detainees amounted to “brutality” and urged greater international awareness and response.
Similar demonstrations were held in other parts of the country, including Zonguldak, Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Niğde, Izmir and Konya. In each location, protesters carried banners and chanted slogans criticizing Israel’s policies and calling for an end to violence in Gaza and across the region.
In the Black Sea province of Zonguldak, students and representatives of nongovernmental organizations gathered at the campus of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, where a statement was read condemning what organizers described as escalating aggression. Speaking for the group, Selman Kürklü from the Palestine Support Platform said the violence had extended beyond Palestinian territories, warning of broader regional instability.
In southeastern Diyarbakır, demonstrators convened outside the Ulu Mosque, chanting slogans and calling for international intervention.
In Niğde, a gathering outside a university mosque drew support from local officials and academics, including the city’s mayor and university representatives. Speakers there emphasized the humanitarian impact of ongoing hostilities and criticized what they described as insufficient global response.
Protests in Izmir’s Konak Square and in Konya after Friday prayers echoed similar concerns, with participants condemning both the reported legislation and Israel’s broader military actions in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
The demonstrations came amid continued regional tensions following Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched after the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, and ongoing exchanges involving Iran and other regional actors. Protest organizers across Türkiye called for increased international pressure to halt violence and prevent further escalation.
The number of Syrians under Türkiye’s temporary protection regime has fallen by nearly 40% over the past five years, dropping from about 3.7 million in 2021 to roughly 2.3 million in 2026, according to official data compiled from migration figures.
The decline of about 1.4 million people reflects a steady reduction in Türkiye’s Syrian refugee population since it peaked in 2021, when arrivals from the Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, reached their highest levels.
Türkiye, which once hosted the world’s largest Syrian refugee community, has seen a gradual decrease in recent years driven largely by voluntary returns and changing conditions in its southern neighbor.
The population fell to about 3.5 million in 2022, 3.2 million in 2023 and 2.9 million in 2024. It stood at roughly 2.35 million at the end of 2025 before declining further in early 2026.
Officials attribute the downward trend primarily to what they describe as voluntary, safe and dignified returns, supported by stabilization efforts in northern Syria and policies aimed at encouraging repatriation.
Türkiye has hosted Syrians fleeing the war under a temporary protection system that allows legal residence and access to essential services without formal refugee status under the 1951 Refugee Convention framework. Authorities say the policy has been implemented in line with humanitarian principles alongside border security measures.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said Türkiye’s approach is being carried out “within the framework of humanitarian values and international law,” adding that return policies are implemented in line with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s directives.
“In line with the instructions of our President, we are carefully and resolutely taking steps that will contribute to our Syrian brothers and sisters living in peace and security in their own lands,” Çiftçi said in remarks to Anadolu Agency (AA).
He added that Türkiye supports broader reconstruction efforts inside Syria. “We support the ongoing efforts for revival, reconstruction, and normalization of life,” he said, noting that such developments help enable what he described as a more orderly return process.
Changing conditions in Syria
Government statements highlight infrastructure projects, humanitarian assistance and housing construction across the Syrian border as key elements enabling returns. These efforts, officials say, have helped support resettlement in areas cleared of armed groups and improve living conditions inside Syria.
According to official figures, about 1.39 million Syrians have returned from Türkiye to Syria between 2016 and April 2026. Of those, more than 650,000 returned between December 2024 and April 2026, following the collapse of Syria’s long-ruling Baath regime in December 2024.
Officials describe the return process as coordinated and carefully managed. Çiftçi said the government’s priority is ensuring that returns are conducted in an orderly manner, adding that authorities are working “with an understanding that centers human dignity.”
Interior officials say returns are managed through coordination between security agencies and administrative bodies to ensure updated records and controlled border crossings.
Demographics
The Syrian population under temporary protection in Türkiye remains broadly split between genders, with about 1.18 million men and 1.11 million women. The largest age group is adults aged 18 to 64, totaling about 1.17 million people.
Regionally, Istanbul hosts the largest Syrian population with about 405,000 registered individuals, followed by Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa. The smallest registered population is in Hakkari, with just eight Syrians. Tunceli and Bayburt are also among the provinces with the lowest numbers.
Policy shifts, future outlook
Authorities have recently adjusted policies affecting Syrians under temporary protection, including ending eligibility for free health care coverage for new cases as of Jan. 1. Officials say the changes are part of broader planning related to long-term migration management and return strategies.
Turkish officials have also indicated that the temporary protection system may gradually transition toward a residence permit-based framework. Under such a system, Syrians would be required to meet conditions such as housing arrangements, employment status, financial means and health insurance coverage.
Government representatives note that similar policy transitions have taken place in parts of Europe, while emphasizing that Türkiye’s approach has been more gradual due to the scale of its Syrian population.
Authorities have also signaled that financial incentives for returnees may be expanded, including support linked to international funding mechanisms.
Despite the sustained decline, Türkiye continues to host one of the largest Syrian communities in the world. The Syrian war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions since 2011, forced about 5 million people into neighboring countries, with Türkiye receiving the largest share.
Officials say further returns are expected in the coming period as conditions inside Syria evolve and reconstruction efforts continue, while stressing that participation in return programs remains voluntary.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry called on the international community to act against Israel’s approval of 34 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, describing the move as a “serious violation” of international law and U.N. resolutions.
In a written statement, the ministry condemned the decision by the government of Benjamin Netanyahu to authorize new settlement construction, warning that it undermines prospects for a two-state solution.
The statement said Israel’s actions further entrench occupation policies and weaken efforts to achieve lasting peace in the region.
Reiterating Ankara’s position, the ministry stressed that the expansion of settlements runs counter to international law and damages the foundations of a viable peace process.
Türkiye also urged the international community to take concrete steps in response to what it described as unlawful initiatives.
Israel has intensified operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since launching its military campaign in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinians view the escalation – including killings, arrests, displacement, and settlement expansion – as a step toward formal annexation of the territory.
In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed the need to protect the cease-fire process from disruption and maximize upcoming negotiations for lasting peace during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
In a call with his Iranian counterpart, Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s active diplomatic role in helping pave the way for the cease-fire, noting that Ankara worked closely with relevant countries throughout the process.
He emphasized that the upcoming negotiations present a critical opportunity to achieve permanent peace and stability, warning that efforts to undermine the process must not be allowed to succeed.
Erdoğan also reiterated that Türkiye stands ready to continue contributing to the process alongside friendly nations, underlining Ankara’s commitment to regional stability and dialogue.
Expressing condolences for the losses suffered by the Iranian people, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s broader goal is to help establish a new climate of common sense and dialogue across the region.
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