Erdogan to discuss Gaza issue at NATO summit on Ukraine

A three-day summit is set to begin Tuesday in Washington to mark NATO's 75th anniversary. President Recep Tayyip Erdoan, who is also the commander-in-chief of the alliance's second-largest army, is expected to attend. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine is expected to be at the heart of the discussions.

According to Turkish media, Erdoan will call on the bloc's heads of state to make efforts to end Israeli massacres targeting Palestinians in Gaza and ensure permanent peace between Palestinians and Israelis.

Erdoğan has used every platform to express Turkey's support for the Palestinians against Israel, whose attacks have killed more than 38,000 people in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The president has been engaged in international diplomatic efforts in recent weeks, both for Gaza and for Turkey's bilateral relations. The NATO summit will be the second summit he is attending in a matter of weeks, after attending a summit with Kazakhstan of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

The Turkish president will attend the summit's main event on July 10, which will be attended by leaders from 32 member states. He is also expected to attend a dinner hosted by US President Joe Biden for the visiting leaders. On July 11, a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council will be held during the summit. Erdoğan will also hold bilateral talks with the participating heads of state. A meeting with Biden is also planned. It will be the rare face-to-face meeting between the Turkish and US leaders in a long time.

According to media reports, Erdoan raised the Gaza issue during his bilateral talks on the sidelines of the summit.

President Erdoğan warned on Sunday against Israel's intention to extend the conflict beyond Gaza. He said that Israel should stop dragging its feet to stop these massacres and inhumane attacks. It is essential that the international community, especially Western countries, exert more pressure on Israel to this extent. Israel is the only side that persists in committing attacks and massacres. It is the only side that violates human rights and tramples on international law, he added.

Erdogan denounced Israel for threatening Lebanon with expanding the conflict.

Israel should abandon this intention. Western countries, especially the United States, should stop supporting Israel. Since day one, Turkey has stood on the side of peace. Turkey is the strongest voice to express its opposition to the conflict and raise its voice for a lasting peace that can be achieved through a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, he said.

Israel, which is flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, has faced international condemnation over its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023.

More than 38,150 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 87,800 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Turkey joined NATO in 1952, three years after the alliance was formed. Initially rejected by other members, Turkey, seeking protection from the Soviet Union, was eventually accepted after promising to send troops to support the United States in the Korean War. It hosts several alliance military bases and commands NATO’s second-largest army. Its relations with other NATO members have not always been easy, however. For example, it has been at odds with the United States over its support for the YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK, which it also recognizes as a terrorist group. Yet it values ​​the alliance in an era of increasing conflict.

Erdoğan told reporters last week that Turkey expects NATO to strengthen its unity and maintain the spirit of solidarity and strengthen it. In the face of global challenges, including terrorism, NATO needs an approach that serves the security and interests of its members. Turkey has been fighting several terrorist groups for years. It is worrying that our allies have acted against NATO's spirit of unity in this fight and left us alone in the efforts to combat terrorism. They have even adopted a position encouraging terrorist groups, he said, referring to the United States.

Regarding Ukraine, Erdoan is expected to reiterate Trkiyes' proposal to play a mediating role between the two sides. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has proposed creating an international peace platform with broad participation of various countries to resolve the conflict, a proposal welcomed by the Kremlin.

At a press conference in Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin has always been “a strong supporter” of a diplomatic settlement of the conflict. “You know that President Putin is a strong supporter of prioritizing diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the Ukrainian conflict. Of course, we have never refused to negotiate. On the contrary, we have always favored negotiations involving all interested parties. Although there is currently no such platform, you cannot but agree with Mr. Fidan on this,” he said.

For Erdoan, prolonging the conflict only favors certain Western powers and countries. Last week, Erdoan told reporters that their position was almost tantamount to calling for a new world war. Arms dealers need a new market, he added.

Erdoğan also said that Russia supported a peaceful solution and that the parties were apparently tired. The president stressed that it was now up to the mediators to find a solution to the conflict and that Turkey played a key role in this regard.

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