Minister Fidan spoke at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Extraordinary Council of Foreign Ministers Meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Drawing attention to the destruction in Gaza, Fidan said, “After 5 months of relentless and intense bombardment, Gaza has become largely uninhabitable.”
Fidan pointed to the high number of people who lost their lives in Gaza and described this situation as “indescribable”.
Pointing out that entire families and generations have been lost, Fidan said that this pain cannot be described in words.
Emphasizing that “shameful impunity” is being witnessed, Fidan said, “Israel continues to commit massacres, atrocities, all kinds of crimes, but is not held accountable.”
“This fuels desperation and encourages those who want to take justice into their own hands. Our streets are emotionally provoked and tense.”
Fidan said that at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF), Egyptian Foreign Minister Samih Shukri and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki participated in a panel dedicated to the Gaza Contact Group, adding that the forum was like a “global barometer of public opinion” on where things stand in Gaza.
“There is a great expectation for us to take immediate action (on Gaza), even if it is a unilateral action,” Minister Fidan said.
“The contact group has created a spirit of regional ownership”
Underlining that the Gaza Contact Group was an innovative initiative that “broke the vicious circle of mere condemnations”, Fidan said, “(The Gaza Contact Group) also created a spirit of regional ownership.”
“Today, thanks to the group’s efforts, the overwhelming majority of the international community is in favor of an immediate ceasefire and a two-state solution,” Fidan said, emphasizing that all diplomatic tools are being used.
Pointing out that this situation should not lead them to be complacent and underestimate themselves, Fidan said, “The extremist and racist government in Israel is once again trying to deceive the world.”
Emphasizing that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is propagandizing that an operation against “Palestinians trapped in Rafah” is “a must”, Fidan said, “Israel will resort to all kinds of ways and methods that we know very well.”
“We can go to Rafah to show this, we can draw attention to the issues and raise awareness as we increase the pressure,” Fidan said, noting that they should clearly show with unity of thought and action that all of Palestine is the stronghold of Muslims. We can do this as a group of like-minded ministers from all over the world.”
Fidan pointed out that this could be a sign of solidarity with Egyptian friends in the face of Egypt’s great responsibility.
“The blockade around Gaza must be broken”
Recalling the decision taken on November 12, 2023 at the Riyadh Summit, Fidan said, “The blockade around Gaza must be broken, this must be done now. We all know that Israel uses humanitarian aid as a weapon in war.”
Emphasizing that more than 400,000 Palestinians are currently on the brink of starvation, Fidan said, “Civil society and human rights organizations should be allowed to enter Gaza at their own risk. We should not leave the people of Gaza to the mercy of Israel or the grace of hegemonic powers.”
Stating that as the Muslim world, they should develop a plan based on 3 areas to fight the oppression in Gaza, Fidan emphasized that they should break Israel’s blockade in the main field and prevent people from starving to death.
Fidan said that they should increase pressure on Israel by acting collectively and unitedly in the political and diplomatic spheres and using all appropriate methods. Underlining that they should pay attention to “wolves in sheep’s clothing” while doing so, Fidan noted the following:
“Today, an island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, directly opposite Gaza, has become a logistics base for weapons and ammunition for Israel. This island still serves this purpose under the name of a humanitarian center for Gazans. We need to pay attention to such countries. We also need to monitor the implementation of our decision to halt arms sales to Israel.”
Underlining that support for international law cannot be abandoned under any circumstances within the legal framework, Fidan said that they welcomed the decisions taken at the OIC session regarding the inclusion of members in the cases at the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.
“We are against restrictions during Ramadan”
Noting that Ramadan is approaching, Fidan said that like other Muslims, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have the right to spend this holy month in dignity.
“We must stand firm like a rock against any restrictions Israel may impose on the Haram al-Sharif. Our determination and activities will defuse any possible widespread tensions during Ramadan.”
Stating that the Palestinians have endured a lot of suffering and made a lot of sacrifices, Fidan said, “It is our responsibility to transform the Palestinians’ problems into their state and land in peace, security and dignity. Otherwise, we will be judged not only by our rights but also by history.”
