Turkish FM urges US to use influence on Israel to end destabilizing actions

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday that Türkiye expects the United States to use its influence to urge Israel to end policies that undermine regional and global peace and stability.

Speaking at a panel titled "Türkiye-US Relations on the Eve of the Centennial," organized by the Turkish Communications Directorate in New York, Fidan said Türkiye and the US share an interest in sovereign and stable states capable of providing security and welfare in the region, particularly Syria and Iraq.

Fidan also called for greater regional ownership of security, saying local solutions had a better chance of lasting.

Fidan said three key challenges were the Iran war, the risk of the Yemen conflict spreading to neighboring countries and Israel's destabilizing policies across the region.

"These threats reinforce one another and obstruct diplomacy. Addressing them requires effective regional responsibility and close cooperation with the United States," he said.

"In particular, we expect the United States to further use its influence to urge Israel to end its policies that undermine both regional and global peace and stability," he added.

Fidan said the Mecca alliance between Türkiye, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia "provides regional ownership and institutional foundation, while strengthening cooperation and supporting regional peace and security."

Fidan described Gaza as a central test of efforts to establish regional security and said a lasting resolution to the Palestinian issue remains essential.

"A lasting resolution of the Palestinian question remains essential for the stability in the Middle East and beyond," he said, adding that Türkiye supports US President Donald Trump's efforts to bring the Gaza crisis to an end.

- Turkish-US relationship demonstrated 'time-tested enduring value'

Fidan said the bilateral relationship between Türkiye and the US had "time-tested enduring value" and had evolved from ties between two geographically distant nations into a partnership and alliance with an impact beyond their borders.

He noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and US President Trump had a "central role" in the current momentum in bilateral ties, adding that the task was to translate it into concrete benefits and institutionalize cooperation.

"Our task is to turn this momentum into concrete benefits and institutionalize our cooperation not only for our countries but also for maintaining peace and stability in our region," he said.

"As we enter our second century of diplomatic relations, we are determined to realize the full potential of our cooperation and resolve the issues holding it back," he added.