President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday ruled out a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that does not focus on a two-state format, highlighting that Türkiye and other Islamic countries continue working toward achieving lasting peace.
“We have come to a point with our interlocutors that Gaza (issue) cannot be debated if there is no two-state solution. If we prioritize a two-state solution, the Gaza (issue) and threats will disappear,” Erdoğan said, speaking to journalists on board the presidential plane returning from Dubai, where he attended the COP28 climate summit.
Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye would continue its efforts to find a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and war in Gaza.
“We have always emphasized that we are in favor of a permanent cease-fire rather than a humanitarian break ...There was an opportunity for peace here, and unfortunately, we have lost this opportunity for now due to Israel’s uncompromising approach,” he continued.
The humanitarian pause began on Nov. 24 as part of an agreement between Israel and Hamas to temporarily halt fighting to allow hostage swaps and aid delivery. But after seven days, during which women, children and foreign hostages were freed, as well as several Palestinian prisoners, mediators failed to find a formula to release more.
Since then, Israeli airstrikes and artillery bombardments have hit southern Gaza, extending the nearly two-month war in which thousands of people have died. Yet, Erdoğan said that hope should be upheld.
“We continue our contacts with state leaders. While focusing on the Gaza and Palestine issue, Islamic countries, on the other hand, have gathered more frequently to realize the principle of “regional peoples laying claim to their own problems which we have advocated for years. The institutionalization of this may be our biggest strategic gain,” he underlined.
Erdoğan also said a contact group formed by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League would visit the United States to discuss a possible resolution of the conflict in Gaza after meeting with authorities in London, Paris, Barcelona and the United Nations.
“While working on a cease-fire for Gaza, efforts have to continue in parallel for a two-state solution,” the president said, indicating that the OIC and Arab League members agreed not to engage in discussions that rule out a two-state solution.
Excluding Hamas from a solution to the Gaza war and trying to eradicate it are not realistic scenarios, Erdoğan said, rejecting Western calls to label the group as a “terrorist organization.”
“I stand by my position. No matter what anybody says, I can never accept Hamas as a terrorist group. The exclusion of Hamas is not a realistic scenario,” Erdoğan noted.
Erdoğan also rejected U.S. criticism of his government’s support for Hamas, responding to a question on U.S. Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism Brian Nelson’s warning of Washington’s “concerns” about Türkiye’s support to Hamas during his recent visit to Ankara.
“We make our foreign policy in Ankara and design it only according to Türkiye’s interests and our people’s expectations. You cannot expect us to interpret Hamas in this sense while rewarding the PKK, YPG, FETÖ (Gülenist Terror Group) and even hosting them at the Oval Office,” Erdoğan said.
Hamas is “a reality of Palestine; it is a political party which entered the elections and won,” the Turkish leader said, adding: “I am sure that our interlocutors appreciate Türkiye’s consistent and balanced foreign policy steps in such humanitarian crises and conflicts.”
Meanwhile, in a social media post addressed to Erdoğan, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Ankara was “welcome to host in your country Hamas terrorists who aren’t eliminated and flee from Gaza.”
“We will free Gaza from Hamas for the sake of Israel’s security and to create a better future for the residents of the region,” Cohen added.
Erdoğan reiterated that Türkiye applied with around 3,000 lawyers to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to hold Israel responsible for its attacks on civilians in Gaza. He said that the ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) Istanbul deputy, Cüneyt Yüksel, was part of the delegation and followed the developments.
They will closely follow the proceedings in The Hague, Erdoğan said, expressing a hope that the decision would bring a sense of justice to those waiting.
Erdoğan emphasized the need for granting necessary punishments for those caught red-handed in the reported incidents in Gaza.
Condemning Israeli actions in Gaza, he said: “This is state terrorism. We cannot stay silent against this state terrorism.”
The Netanyahu administration’s massacre in Gaza is etched in history as a “black stain,” Erdoğan said, adding that the countries unconditionally supporting this are “stained as well.”
He added that the world will never forget the indifference these states and international organizations show.
“Israeli officials, who have been known as victims of genocide, have now turned into killers of their ancestors,” he noted.
Erdoğan also touched upon ties with the country’s neighbor, Greece, expressing hope for a fresh beginning in bilateral relations.
On his upcoming visit to Greece scheduled for Dec. 7, he said: “I hope a new era begins (between the two countries). We are trying to make more friends and fewer enemies.”
“We will go to Athens with a win-win approach. There, we will discuss both our bilateral relations and Türkiye-EU relations to make decisions worthy of the spirit of the new era,” Erdoğan said.
The Greek-Turkish High-Level Cooperation Council will be held in Athens on Dec. 7.
Noting the proximity and intertwined history of the two nations, he said that nurturing animosities is not constructive.
He expressed a willingness to start a new era, uphold promises and develop relations free from external influences.
Speaking about external influences, he said that the U.S. supplies military equipment to Greece while withholding similar support for Türkiye.
“Although we paid for them, F-16s have not been delivered to us while they continue to send F-16s and munitions to Greece. It does not mean we have to back down just because the United States is doing this. We will visit our neighboring country, sit down and talk,” he said.
Separately, Türkiye requested 40 F-16 jets and modernization kits from Washington in 2021. The State Department informally notified Congress of the potential sale.
Erdoğan advocated for a diplomatic approach, emphasizing that as neighbors, Türkiye and Greece can engage in dialogue without compromising each other’s interests.
He acknowledged existing differences between the two countries but highlighted the potential for collaboration on mutually beneficial subjects.
Ankara and Athens had been at odds over several sticking issues, including sovereignty over the Aegean islands and exploiting energy resources in the Eastern Mediterranean.
There has been a rapprochement in Turkish-Greek relations in recent months, encouraged by the goodwill and humanitarian assistance shown on both sides earlier this year when two deadly earthquakes rocked southeastern Türkiye and Greece suffered a tragic train incident.
Both sides have warned against steps and statements that could damage the current environment of trust as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to maintain the positive atmosphere after holding two rare face-to-face meetings.
