ANKARA: Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has urged the international community to impose sanctions on Israel in response to its military violence against Palestinians in Gaza and recent escalation in Lebanon.
Speaking at a meeting with ruling party delegates on Tuesday, Fidan emphasized that diplomatic efforts have reached their limits, stating, “We have reached the limit of words, diplomacy and international politics. We must start with sanctions.”
Turkey has been a vocal critic of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, which has lasted for nearly a year, and its recent operations in Lebanon. Fidan condemned the United Nations for failing to hold Israel accountable, arguing that the absence of international repercussions allows Israel to continue its actions unchecked.
“The international community must now resort to legal action. Israel needs to be boycotted,” he said. He emphasized that Israel has faced no significant economic, political, or military consequences for its conduct in the region.
He warned that without a collective effort to cut off support for Israel, the Israeli violence in Gaza will continue, stating, “If we cannot, Israel will continue the genocide and massacre in Gaza.”
Fidan’s remarks come amid rising tensions in the Middle East, where Israeli airstrikes have intensified, particularly in Lebanon. He stressed the importance of not allowing the focus on Lebanon to overshadow the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
Last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the year-long Israeli violence in Gaza as “the common shame of all humanity.” Erdogan has also been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, labeling him the “butcher of Gaza” and drawing comparisons to Adolf Hitler.
Although some European Union member states have considered the possibility of economic sanctions against Israel, there is significant division within the bloc, making the implementation of such measures unlikely.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel has launched a relentless bombardment campaign in Gaza killing at least 42,300 Palestinians, mostly women and children, the territory’s health ministry reported with the UN affirming the reliability of these figures.
