Biggest problem in region is Israel’s expansionist policy, says Turkish FM

The biggest problem in the region is Israel’s expansionist policy, said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, stressing there are two reasons behind this policy.

“First, Israel’s goal of enlarging its territory to establish Greater Israel; second, its attempt to weaken and fragment regional countries, especially its neighbors,” Fidan said in an interview with Al Jazeera and Qatar TV.

His remarks came after attending the foreign ministers' meeting to set the agenda for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation-Arab League joint extraordinary summit.

“Syria is one such country, among others. We are in close contact with those countries as well—Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, and of course Syria,” said Fidan, adding that Türkiye is closely monitoring attacks targeting Syria.

“Essentially, Israel’s regional plan began with the occupation of Palestinian lands. Over time, this issue has evolved. Today, it is not only about the occupation of Palestinian lands or the genocide in Gaza, but also about Israel’s expansionism posing a major threat to regional countries,” Fidan said.

Fidan urged the world to focus on Israel’s recent attacks and occupations targeting other Arab and Islamic countries, for instance, the most recent attack on Doha.

“We are not merely facing a Palestinian problem; we are also confronting Israeli expansionism. Once the problem is defined in these terms, Arab and Islamic countries must unite to develop solutions addressing this newly defined challenge,” Fidan said.

Noting Israel’s attacks against Syria since the Assad era, Fidan said though the attacks “have somewhat decreased in recent times,” they are still ongoing, and Ankara sees the latest developments in the south of Syria as “particularly dangerous.”

“We believe that provoking social fault lines to create divisions in Syria would benefit neither Syria nor the region,” he added.

Fidan called for the regional security to be placed on “stronger and more institutional foundations,” adding that no country should pose a threat to another’s security.

Calling for regional sovereignty and security, Fidan criticized Israel for its aggressive policy, which is totally directed against these objectives.

“Therefore, Arab countries, Islamic countries, and the international community as a whole will discuss not only identifying this problem but also mobilizing against it. The greatest problem in the region is Israeli expansionism,” he added.

- Ties with US

Noting that all Gulf countries and Türkiye have “good relations” with Washington, Fidan criticized the American political system due to its policy for Israel, which is showing a “special exception that overrides all other ties.”

“This has cost America influence and standing in the region, and it has created difficulties not only for its friends in the region but also for the US itself,” he added.

Stating that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Türkiye continue to discuss Israel’s crimes against humanity, civilian casualties, threats caused by Israel in the region due to its expansionist policy, and “pushing the international system—led by the US—to the brink of collapse,” with the counterparts from the US, Fidan said: “We must acknowledge the structural constraints within the American political system that hinder decisive action.”

- Türkiye values Qatar’s mediation efforts

Ankara “deeply” values Qatar’s role as a mediator and has supported it from the beginning, Fidan said.

During his time as the head of the intelligence service and foreign minister, Ankara has worked “closely” with Qatar and will continue to do so, Fidan stated, praising Doha’s efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza.

“We strongly support these initiatives. Our Egyptian brothers also play a significant role in this matter. Qatar continues its mediation despite all risks, and what I especially appreciate is that even after this latest incident, Qatar has given a clear signal of continuing its mediation role—not with emotional reactions, but with the interest of the ummah and the region in mind,” Fidan said.

Expressing his “heartfelt” condolences over Israel’s attack on Doha targeting Hamas members and causing the deaths of five of them, Fidan expressed Ankara’s solidarity with Qatar.

“Türkiye always stands with the people of Qatar. There is an unshakable bond between Türkiye and Qatar, and just as we have stood by Qatar in all its difficult times, we are once again by its side,” Fidan declared.

Reiterating Ankara’s condemnation of the attack, Fidan underlined Ankara’s readiness to take any regional and global measures necessary, standing firmly with the Qatari nation.