Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan spoke during a joint press conference with Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi. Minister Fidan stated, “Today, Israel has become a major threat to international peace and security.” Regarding the citizens evacuated from Lebanon, Fidan mentioned, “All citizens who applied for evacuation have been evacuated.” He emphasized that close to one thousand citizens were evacuated by two military ships, highlighting that Turkey is the only country that has done this.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi held a conference titled “The Future of Palestine” at the AK Party Headquarters.

During the conference, Fidan underlined that the tragedy in Gaza has a historical background.

Fidan expressed, “The tragedy faced in Gaza today is not a new tragedy. It has been an ongoing tragedy unfolding before our eyes for 70 years. Unfortunately, the international, Arab, and Islamic communities have failed to end this tragedy. For the past 70 years, people in the region have been suffering, and we all feel ashamed due to the Palestinian issue.”

Fidan reminded that if a ceasefire is not established in Gaza, it could spread to other countries. He stated, “The events in Lebanon have proven our predictions right. The sole way to reduce tension is to establish a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. As the international community, we must work towards silencing the guns, rebuilding Gaza, and establishing a fair and lasting peace.”

“ISRAEL IS TRYING TO HINDER A TWO-STATE SOLUTION”

Minister Fidan highlighted that Israel’s aim is to obstruct a two-state solution and thus prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. He said, “We cannot remain silent in the face of the theft of Palestinian lands by those who want to erase the Palestinian state from their minds. Israel has no say in the future of Palestinians. It never will.”

Emphasizing that Palestinians have the right to live in their own homeland under their state, Fidan stated, “This state will be a true state with all its authority and capabilities. We will continue to work wholeheartedly with Jordan for a two-state solution.”

EVACUATIONS FROM LEBANON

Fidan emphasized that work to evacuate citizens continued from the moment the war shifted from Gaza to Lebanon. He stated, “When the attacks began, our prepared contingency plans and scenarios were put into action simultaneously at the diplomatic coordination and support center here, at the consulate call center, and at our embassy in Beirut.”

Fidan mentioned that there was a division of labor, saying, “While our mission in Beirut and consulate call center identified the citizens in Lebanon who wanted to be evacuated one by one, we also worked with relevant institutions to plan how the number of evacuees would be transported.”

“WE HAVE EVACUATED ALL CITIZENS”

Fidan informed that close to one thousand citizens were evacuated from Lebanon by two military ships, noting that Turkey was the only country to do so.

He stressed that all citizens who had applied for evacuation were evacuated so far, and added, “We are continuing our efforts on what can be done if necessary. In addition to this, although Beirut airport is open, many airlines do not fly there due to the state of war. Therefore, there is a need to plan for charter flights, which has been arranged by our ministry. We have also worked on a system to accommodate those who want to come by plane.”