FM Fidan warns of wider conflict in Middle East, urges two-state solution for Palestine

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan issued a stark warning on Wednesday regarding the potential spillover effects of ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, reiterating Türkiye’s steadfast support for Palestine. Speaking at the G20 foreign ministers meeting in New York, Fidan condemned the Israeli attacks that have resulted in significant casualties and injuries in Lebanon.

“We will not stay silent and doom Palestinians to starvation and massacre,” Fidan asserted, noting the alarming escalation of violence that could extend to Lebanon and beyond.

We are in a phase of huge risk of wider conflict.

FM Hakan Fidan

Fidan cautioned that if Israel’s “annihilation” of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem continues unabated, the ramifications for regional stability and the international order would be “inevitable.”

Emphasis on fully functioning Palestinian state

He highlighted the erosion of the international system, stating that a “full-fledged, functioning” Palestinian state is “the only way” to ensure lasting peace in the Middle East.

“We should strengthen our efforts towards a two-state solution,” he urged the G20 foreign ministers.

In addition to his remarks on the Middle East, Fidan endorsed a call to action for global governance reform, reiterating the G20 ministers’ commitment to this cause.

“The unacceptable situation in Gaza should be a wake-up call to the international community, testifying once again to the urgent need for reform,” he stated.

Goal is more effective Security Council

Fidan emphasized that the United Nations is the “very place” to address global governance reform, arguing that the U.N. cannot achieve its full relevance without tackling Security Council reform.

“Our goal is for a more democratic, accountable, representative, transparent, and effective Security Council,” he said.

He further called for reforms that democratize decision-making processes, stating, “We need a Security Council where the veto of one doesn’t determine the fate of many.”

Fidan stressed that these “critical reforms” should extend beyond the UN, calling for changes in the international financial architecture and multilateral trading systems.

“We also need better resources and more effective multilateral development banks to face global challenges,” he added, warning that without proper access to finance, achieving sustainable development goals will be impossible.