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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that Middle Eastern nations face not only the Palestinian issue but also Israeli territorial expansionism, speaking to Al Jazeera Arabic and Qatar TV following an extraordinary joint meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League foreign ministers on Sunday.
"We are not only facing a Palestinian issue. We are also facing Israeli expansionism. After the problem is defined this way, Arab and Islamic countries actually need to come together and provide solutions based on this newly defined problem," Fidan said in Doha, where foreign ministers gathered ahead of a leaders' summit scheduled for Monday.
Fidan outlined what he described as Israel's dual objectives in the region during his television interviews in the Qatari capital.
"There are two reasons behind Israeli expansionism. First, Israel wants to expand its territory and establish Greater Israel. Second, it aims to leave regional countries weak, ineffective, especially those neighboring Israel, in a divided state," the Turkish foreign minister stated.
"Our regional security needs to be established on more solid and institutional foundations. No one in the region should be in a position to threaten anyone else's security. The region should have overcome issues such as sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity. But Israel's current aggressive policy is completely focused on these points," he elaborated.
"The issue is no longer just the Israeli-Palestinian problem in our region. It's not just about Israel's occupation of Palestine, not just about the ongoing genocide in Gaza. It's also about Israel pursuing expansionism in the region," Fidan said, describing his impressions from Sunday's meeting.
"Therefore, both Arab countries and Islamic countries will discuss the necessary issues to identify this problem, stand against it, and mobilize the international community," he added.
Fidan emphasized that the current problem has evolved from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.
"It's not just the occupation of Palestinian territories and the genocide in Gaza right now, but we also see that Israel's expansionism in the region poses a major threat to regional countries; Israel's attacks on other Arab and Islamic countries in the region and its beginning to occupy their territories," he stated.
Fidan identified Syria among the countries Israel aims to keep weak and divided.
"There are other countries too, you know. We are in communication with those countries. There's Lebanon, there's Jordan, there's Egypt, countries neighboring Israel. One of these is Syria," he said.
The foreign minister expressed particular concern about developments in southern Syria.
"But we find the events in the south very dangerous. We think that creating a division in Syria through societal fault lines will benefit neither Syria nor the region," Fidan stated.
He noted that Israel's attacks on Syria have continued from the era of former leader Bashar al-Assad to the present day, though at a somewhat reduced level.
Fidan offered condolences to Qatar over Israel's Sept. 9 airstrike on a building in Doha where Hamas negotiation team members were located.
"Türkiye stands with Qatar today as always. There is an unshakeable bond between Türkiye and Qatar," Fidan said, highlighting the strong friendship between President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
"We are with Qatar today as we have been in all its difficult days. We condemned this latest attack by Israel in the strongest terms and spoke with our Qatari brothers. We conveyed that we stand with them regarding whatever international and regional measures need to be taken," he stated.
The Turkish foreign minister also praised Qatar's mediation role in the conflict, describing it as valuable and stating that Türkiye has supported these efforts from the outset.
Fidan noted he has worked continuously with Qatar on such activities both during his previous role as head of Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization and in his current position.
"The risks Qatar has taken and the efforts it has put forward regarding the ceasefire, especially by Emir Al Thani and Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, are very important and valuable initiatives," Fidan said.
He also acknowledged Egypt's significant role in mediation efforts, noting that Qatar continues these efforts by taking all kinds of risks.
Following Israel's attack on Doha, Fidan praised Qatar for signaling its continued mediation efforts.
"After the attack, Qatar's giving a signal to continue mediation by thinking of the interests of the ummah and the region without being caught up in emotion is admirable," he stated.
Fidan acknowledged that both Gulf countries and Türkiye maintain good relations with the United States, noting President Erdogan's special relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
"But in the American political system, as you know, there is an exception area when it comes to relations with Israel. This exception area, unfortunately, rises above all other relationships. This, of course, is a situation that causes America to lose points and position in the region. It considerably offends America's friends in the region and puts America in a difficult position," Fidan explained.
The foreign minister emphasized that he and Erdogan consistently communicate to U.S. officials at every level that Israel's humanitarian crimes, civilian casualties and expansionism in the region affect not only the region but global security.
"It brings the international system led by the U.S. to the brink of total collapse," he said, adding that the U.S. political system has its own internal dilemmas about taking action on this issue, which must be acknowledged.
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