Speaking to Al Jazeera, Foreign Minister Fidan reacted to Trump's Gaza plan: Mind-boggling

Minister Fidan answered Al Jazeera's questions.

In the first part of the interview, Fidan said that the number one priority of Turkish foreign policy is to calm down conflicts in the Middle East, the Caucasus, the Balkans, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean, to stop wars, and to eliminate instability, and that when this happens, it will be easier to achieve economic development and provide basic services to the people.

EMPHASIS ON TWO-STATE SOLUTION

"We are pursuing a constructive foreign policy that does not threaten the security of others, respects everyone's territorial integrity, targets economic development and respects everyone's national will," said Fidan, adding that the Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees Israel's security not in a two-state solution but in Israel's expansionism and expansionism in the region.

Fidan stated that as Muslim and Arab countries, they told the Israeli government, "Come and accept the two-state solution. Make peace with both Arab countries and other Muslim countries," and continued as follows:

"You too should feel secure, and so should others. But let alone giving the Palestinians a state, we see that they have plans to annex Palestinian lands and, beyond that, to occupy Lebanon and Syria. You can't do this forever. Now America is helping you on this issue, on this wrong policy, but this policy is not a sustainable policy. Instead, come, the Arab countries are ready, Turkey is ready, with a two-state solution, you will both feel comfortable, feel safe and the region will be comfortable. Such occupation movements, such broad occupation policies, policies of taking control will produce very dangerous results."

In response to the question, "Security measures and guarantees that Turkey would give to Israel were mentioned, so that there would be no defense mechanism in the south of Syria. Have you discussed such a matter with Israel or Syria?" Minister Fidan said that they had not discussed such matters with Israel, that Syria was already taking steps towards establishing its own national unity and integrity, and that ensuring Syria's territorial integrity was of utmost importance.

"IT BROUGHT GREATER INSTABILITY TO THE REGION"

Fidan stated that the annexation of Syria's territorial integrity, with the terrorist organization PKK on one side and Israeli intervention in the south, is not an acceptable intervention and that this brings greater instability to the region.

Fidan, who stated that the Syrian people are a very brave people, that they have made great sacrifices for their freedom and dignity in the last 15 years, said that millions of people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands of people have been martyred. Minister Fidan said, "I do not think that the Syrian people will allow occupation, especially the PKK occupation, and the Israeli occupation, as they did in history, no matter who sets their sights on their homeland."

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV'S VISIT TO Türkiye

Fidan made an assessment of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Türkiye and the Russia-Ukraine War.

Pointing out that Syria and Russia have a past, Fidan said, "Basically, there are previous relations that have been developed based on this past, social relations, economic relations, security relations that developed during the Assad era. Now, in the new period, primarily the Russian military bases there, other economic issues, etc. There have been discussions on where to go with them, what can happen, what should be done."

UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR

Minister Fidan answered the question about Turkey's mediation role in the negotiations between Russia and the United States and the war in Ukraine.

Fidan said that there are signs that the Ukrainian war is coming to an end, that there are discussions on how and under what conditions the parties will reach a ceasefire, that America and Russia will appoint representatives for these discussions and that political will has been formed on both sides.

Fidan stated that the Americans will collect data and then work on a road map, which they will propose to the parties, and said:

"There will definitely be a change request or proposal from all sides on this map, be it the Russian side, the Ukrainian side, the European side. I think the next few months will be very fast and intense in this respect, in terms of stopping the Ukraine war. We need to see something by the summer."

Stating that Europe essentially set out with America to develop a military plan in Ukraine, Fidan said that now, in an equation without America, all the methods and capacities that Europe had mobilized, both political and military, have suddenly become idle, and when America leaves the equation, Europe is seen to be face to face with Russia, and this means the foundations of European security are shaken, because they have a security alliance with the Americans.

Fidan stated that the European Union, European democracies and the European economy were established under the security umbrella provided to Europe by America, and that in a world where none of these existed, Europeans were entering a tremendous security crisis and were currently discussing it, and made the following assessment:

"The American position on the Ukraine issue, the position that Mr. Trump initially put forward, the position of 'we must normalize relations with the Russians, we must stop the war, the deaths of millions of people must end', sends a very different message to Europe at this point. Now, the Europeans, we saw this after the elections in Germany, the winning leader Mr. Merz also said it. By the summer, maybe the European Union or European countries may want to find themselves in another security structure, outside of NATO."

TURKEY'S EU MEMBERSHIP

Fidan responded to the question about Turkey's EU membership as follows:

"Regarding the European Union, Turkey's, as our President also stated yesterday after the cabinet meeting, our official view is still EU membership. Our perspective on this issue has not been changed by political will. But as you know, the Europeans have an issue of not including Turkey due to their identity politics. Now, in the new period, under new conditions, will they reconsider this? I hope they do."

"THERE ARE PROBABLY TWO COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD THAT DEFEND THIS"

Asked about his assessment of the possibility of the ceasefire ending in Gaza and Israel continuing its attacks, Fidan said that this would not be good and said, "Of course, they need to develop an attitude, especially Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf countries. In other words, they need to develop an attitude towards Israel. These attitudes are not tolerable."

Fidan stressed that Turkey would not accept US President Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza and forcibly displace Palestinians, and that this plan should not be taken seriously.

Underlining that Turkey's stance on this issue is clear, Fidan said, "There are probably two countries in the world that defend this. One is America and one is Israel. Apart from that, the rest of the world is against it."

Describing this plan as "an eclipse of reason", Fidan stated that Arab countries were working on a plan regarding the reconstruction, management, administration and security issues of Gaza.

"HAMAS IS AN IDEA, HAMAS IS AN IDEOLOGY"

Minister Fidan answered the question about the future role of Hamas in Gaza by noting that Hamas is a legitimate party like other political parties under the State of Palestine.

Minister Fidan stated the following:

"A resistance movement. A movement that had to find itself in armed struggle because of the occupation. Now, in the future of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority will come, some people will come and they may have an administration there. But as many observers and statesmen have stated, Hamas is not just an organization made up of individuals. Hamas is an idea, Hamas is an ideology."

Fidan stated that Hamas is an ideology born out of the Israeli occupation and said that as long as the occupation, humiliation and oppression continue, presenting Hamas as the focal point is hiding the problem itself.

Fidan, who pointed out that the problem was that Palestinian lands were kept under occupation, said, "If the Palestinians had a state, if they had an area where they lived within the 1967 borders and said, 'Let's attack Israel despite this,' then the Palestinians would be committing the biggest crime. But what will these people do when they are under occupation and deprived of all their basic rights? Therefore, Hamas will go today, and another structure that is more resistant and more belligerent than Hamas will come tomorrow."

"WHAT SHOULD A NATION DO IF IT HAS NO OTHER CHOICE LEFT THAN DIE?"

Fidan said, "The countries of the region, including Turkey, will come and we will help in this regard. If you give a country, a nation, its state, its lands, its sovereignty, and despite that it still acts aggressively, then we will all come together and suppress that aggression. But now, a nation that is under occupation and has been humiliated for years. What should a nation do that has no other choice but to die?"

Regarding the developments in Sudan, Fidan said that the civil war in this country is a scene that they do not want to see in the Islamic world.

Fidan stated that millions of people were displaced in the country and that Türkiye was trying to send humanitarian aid there, adding that the Islamic world should look at this issue very closely.

Minister Fidan underlined the importance of the constructive role of Turkey's foreign policy and said, "As long as we have President (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) and as long as we exist, I have always believed that this policy will bring goodness to both our region and the world."

The second part of the interview is expected to be released tomorrow.