Turkiye closes door on Israel relations
'There will be no normalization with Israel until a ceasefire is achieved [in Gaza],' Fidan told CNN Türk, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of 'defying the entire world' with US backing and urging Washington to restrain him.
Addressing Syria, Fidan said Turkiye remains engaged in managing regional instability and maintains direct lines of communication with Israel to prevent escalation, condemning Israeli actions in Syria as a deliberate attempt to destroy infrastructure and deny future governance capacity.
Fidan also called for an end to Israel's occupation of Syrian territory, denouncing repeated strikes on critical infrastructure.
The Turkish FM clarified that Turkiye will not pursue military action unless directly threatened but stressed that developments in Syria carry serious national security consequences. 'We don't seek confrontation with any country in the region, including Israel,' he noted, calling Israeli behavior in Syria 'provocative' and 'destabilizing.'
Additionally, Fidan urged the international community to lift US and EU sanctions on Syria, citing improved cooperation between Ankara and Damascus on security and counterterrorism. 'There is now a new Syria — a sovereign state — that must be allowed to shape its own defense and foreign policies,' he asserted.
On US-Turkiye relations, Fidan confirmed plans for an upcoming meeting between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Donald Trump. He described the relationship as 'constructive,' referenced ongoing legal efforts to lift sanctions under the CAATSA framework.
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