Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in North Macedonia’s Skopje on Thursday for an official visit, where he met his counterpart Timco Mucunski. Along with bilateral relations, talks on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict were on Fidan’s agenda at his joint news conference with Mucunski.
He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of perpetuating violence in Gaza to maintain political power. “Netanyahu continues to spread death and terrorists to stay in power,” Fidan said. The minister condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions and highlighted the increasing attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, as well as provocations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which he claimed are exacerbating the crisis.
“Netanyahu is chiefly responsible for genocide,” he underlined.
The Turkish foreign minister also claimed that Netanyahu is undermining cease-fire efforts by imposing new conditions and obstructing negotiations. He called on the international community to act against Netanyahu, asserting, “Remaining silent on the massacre is equivalent to being complicit in the crime.”
Türkiye has been a fervent critic of Israel, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comparing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler, accusing Tel Aviv of committing genocide and criticizing Western nations for backing Israel.
In May, Türkiye suspended trade with Israel, citing its assault on Gaza. In contrast to Western nations that have designated Hamas as a terrorist organization, Erdoğan has commended the group, calling it a liberation movement.
Netanyahu on Wednesday insisted that his country must retain its control of Gaza’s border with Egypt, which has been criticized for undermining cease-fire efforts.
His comments came as the United States is developing a new proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release, hoping to break a long deadlock and bring an end to Israel’s 11 monthlong attacks on Gaza, which killed at least 40,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
The question of Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor – a narrow strip of land along Gaza’s border with Egypt, seized by troops in May – has become a central obstacle in the talks. Hamas has demanded an eventual complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in the multi-phase truce deal. Egypt, a mediator in the discussions along with the U.S. and Qatar, has also demanded a concrete timeline for Israeli troops to leave the Philadelphi corridor. And on Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates, which established formal ties with Israel in the 2020 Abraham Accords, also criticized the Israeli stance.
Speaking to foreign journalists, Netanyahu repeated his stance that Israel must maintain its hold on the border to prevent Hamas from rearming by allegedly smuggling weapons into Gaza. He said Israel would only consider withdrawing from the corridor when presented with an alternative force to police it. “Bring me anyone who will actually show us … that they can actually prevent the recurrence” of smuggling, he said. “I don’t see that happening right now. And until that happens, we’re there.”
Türkiye has been a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause and continues diplomatic and legal efforts to resolve the conflict.
A delegation of 15 legal experts from Türkiye recently presented a file to The Hague listing Israel’s war crimes. They cited evidence obtained on-site from Gaza, including notarized testimonies from the injured, civilians living there interviewed by phone and information from journalists who currently serve in the enclave and witness Israeli attacks firsthand.
In its case before the ICJ, South Africa accused Israel of perpetuating genocide in the Gaza Strip. In that case, the court called on Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide and recently ordered the country to “ensure urgent humanitarian assistance” in Gaza without delay.
The ICJ in May ordered Israel to halt its Rafah offensive and demanded the release of hostages and the “unhindered provision” of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The Hague-based ICJ, whose orders are legally binding but lack direct enforcement mechanisms, also instructed Israel to keep open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza after Israel seized the Palestinian side in May, effectively shutting it.
Israel dismissed the ruling, insisting that the court had gotten it wrong.
