Ankara: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan praised the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla on Saturday as 'a rare and noble action,' urging global support to raise international awareness of the genocide against Palestinians. 'This is a noble action. Creating international awareness to prevent the ongoing genocide in Gaza and to support the Palestinian cause is currently our greatest weapon. Frankly, this is what we are doing in international diplomacy,' Fidan told Turkish broadcaster TRT News.
According to Anadolu Agency, after the flotilla set sail, Trkiye established a coordination mechanism with several countries and issued a statement with 17 nations on Sept. 16 to send a unified message and apply international pressure, he said. Trkiye sent the message that flotilla participants were not alone, and noted that navigational safety was crucial after departure, said Fidan, with the Turkish Navy coordinating with aerial surveillance and naval forces in the region, especially from Spain and Italy.
Israeli naval forces attacked and seized vessels of the Global Sumud Flotilla late Wednesday and detained more than 470 activists from over 50 countries as they sailed to Gaza to deliver humanitarian aid and challenge Israel's blockade of the enclave. It was the first time in nearly two decades since the blockade began that dozens of vessels simultaneously sailed toward Gaza in a coordinated attempt to break Israel's siege of the coastal enclave, home to about 2.4 million Palestinians.
'After these noble activists were detained, we needed to take an operational step as soon as possible to end their captivity,' said Fidan. He said they contacted Israeli authorities and security officials through the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Fidan added that the Turkish charge d'affaires at the local embassy also communicated with authorities, and through the efforts of many behind the scenes, the Turkish nationals and some foreign activists, following requests from their countries, were brought Saturday to Trkiye.
Urging states to support the flotilla 'to the fullest extent possible,' Fidan said some activists remained behind and will face a procedural trial. He has hope they will be released within a few days at the latest.
Stressing that the Turkish government takes the Palestinian issue seriously and follows it with great diligence, Fidan said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's sensitivity to the matter is at the highest level. He highlighted that the international community has always viewed the Palestinian issue as a shared problem and noted that at a joint summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Arab League, Trkiye joined six other countries to form a group to mobilize a collective effort.
Fidan said eight countries representing Muslims met US President Donald Trump in New York, where they told Trump that 'Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be stopped.' 'President Trump's declaration that he would not allow the annexation of the West Bank was actually a historic turning point, both in terms of relations among the United States, Palestine, and Israel, and in the message the United States sent to the Islamic world and the rest of the world regarding the Palestinian issue,' he noted.
Fidan said there is always a possibility that Netanyahu will 'sabotage' Trump's plan, and he believes that the intention is present, emphasizing the need for the US' seriousness and determination. He added that Trkiye's diplomatic focus is keeping the US on track, which is why it is crucial for certain leaders, along with Erdogan, to urge Trump to stay committed 'for the sake of world peace and regional peace.'
Fidan said Hamas' negotiation approach, reflected in its response to Trump's ceasefire proposal, was 'commendable,' and was not a categorical rejection but a conciliatory stance that respects the mediator's efforts while clearly stating what the Palestinian people cannot accept and what is impossible. He said the issue demands continuous, serious and professional efforts to keep it on the international agenda, with Erdogan leading visible and behind-the-scenes coordination, much of it confidential, and expressed hope to push it further.
Fidan said the root cause of the long-standing conflicts in the region, as well as regional and external interventions, is the inability of countries in the region to cooperate with each other, and the presence of a certain level of mistrust. 'We need a regional stability pact, platform, agreement, or convention. Its primary purpose is not deterrence; its secondary purpose is deterrence. Its main goal is to establish absolute trust among the countries in the region,' he stressed.
Addressing Israel's aggressive stance toward many countries, Fidan said even its unconditional supporters no longer want to appear united on the issue, and noted that security agreements were signed between some countries following the attacks. Fidan described Erdogan's visit to Washington as a 'historic moment' in Trkiye-US ties and leadership diplomacy, highlighting how, amid challenging global conditions, the two leaders rose above issues with a broad strategic vision to reshape their relationship beyond themselves, extending between their countries in a 'rare occurrence.'
Highlighting the 'strong will' between Trkiye and US leaders, Fidan said after Trump called Erdogan to request his attention on a ceasefire with Hamas, the Palestinian resistance group responded positively to Trump's proposal shortly afterward. Responding to a question about the US lifting defense industry restrictions on Trkiye and statements regarding the national combat aircraft, KAAN, as well as related disinformation, Fidan said Trkiye's national security issue far exceeds disinformation campaigns.
He said he has been a first-hand witness to the work of thousands of engineers over the years, emphasizing that many defense industry companies in Trkiye have been engaged in the effort for years, with the localization rate increasing from 20% to 80%. He called it a development that should not be underestimated.
He said defense products have been used for years by the MIT, with data shared with engineers and companies. Fidan highlighted that Ankara has been working for two years to lift restrictions and sanctions. He said some restrictions have been lifted from Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium, adding most issues with Germany have largely been resolved, and some restrictions remain from the US while others have been lifted.
Fidan said Trkiye continued parallel talks with Russia and Ukraine as Moscow clarified its ceasefire conditions during talks in the US state of Alaska, which Trump relayed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders. Both sides have since escalated the conflict with increased readiness and little willingness to compromise, he said. Fidan said that 'the problem is clear,' as in the Donetsk region, there remains roughly 25% to 30% that Russia has not captured, with Moscow pressing to take it, arguing that seizing it would prevent further losses, while Kyiv refuses, saying ceding it would open the door to losing more territory.
Europe is facing an unprecedented threat, Fidan said, citing recent NATO and allied reports of Russian airspace violations, with European countries publicly acknowledging the breaches to justify shifting more budget to defense, while Russia rejects those claims, leading to a heightened state of alert and increased focus on boosting military capabilities in Europe. Fidan said Trkiye's foreign policy was on autopilot during the Cold War, with the West not favoring it as an ally and the EU undervaluing its membership bid, leading to a shift toward a national policy after 2002.