Mecca Alliance 'game-changing platform' says Turkish FM

Alliance institutionalization

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Saturday that the Mecca Alliance linking Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan has reached an advanced stage of institutionalization, with detailed preparations for a secretariat and military headquarters almost finalized. Speaking to broadcaster NTV, Fidan described the initiative as a platform open to regional expansion rather than a closed bloc, emphasizing that founding members had reached common ground on operational structures. "The Mecca Alliance will be a very game-changing platform," he said, adding that personnel assignments would follow once physical infrastructure is established.

Regional security concerns

Fidan dismissed criticism from Israel, India and Greece that the alliance remained merely theoretical, characterizing such attacks as media campaigns driven by threat perception rather than substance. He warned that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was attempting to manufacture instability in Syria to secure his domestic political survival, asserting that Türkiye would not respond to provocations. "Israel is a threat not only to the region but to the world," Fidan said, noting that international patience with Netanyahu's policies was diminishing even among traditional allies.

Syria and Gaza developments

Addressing Syria's integration process following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Fidan confirmed that Ankara and Damascus had established a joint planning group to monitor bilateral projects and security cooperation, including the controlled integration of Syrian Democratic Forces into state structures. On Gaza, he stated that the peace plan had stalled because Israel introduced new demands after the first phase despite Palestinian compliance with hostage releases, while humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials remained restricted. Fidan emphasized that Türkiye maintains equal contact with both Ramallah and Gaza to facilitate political coherence between the West Bank and the coastal enclave.

Domestic security process

The minister linked regional developments to the "Terror-Free Türkiye" process, stating that the changed security environment in Syria and Iraq no longer permitted armed groups to use those territories as bases for attacks against Turkish territory. He noted that while the PKK declared its dissolution in May 2025, concrete disarmament steps had proceeded slower than hoped, requiring continued vigilance as Ankara pursues economic development and political reconciliation in its southeast. Fidan said the process enjoyed strong support during his recent visit to Diyarbakır, reflecting a broader regional vision where stability in Türkiye generates prosperity for neighboring Kurdish populations across the border.