Turkey FM calls for arms embargo on Israel at Islamic summit
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called on the Islamic world to press for an arms embargo on Israel on November 10th, Anadolu Agency reports.
Fidan said Turkiye’s initiative at the UN to stop arms transfers to Israel has received the support of 52 countries, including permanent members of the UN Security Council.
His appeal was made at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)-Arab League Joint Extraordinary Summit of Foreign Ministers Meeting in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh.
What is lacking, he said, is not determination or moral ground for the Palestinian cause but coercive actions.
He highlighted the need for concrete measures to stop the bloodshed and prevent a wider regional war in the Middle East.
Other means are available he pointed out, such as halting trade with Israel or intervening in the ongoing genocide case at the International Court of Justice.
A campaign should also be launched, he said, to support the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
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Fidan urged the Islamic world to act in unity to end Israel’s attacks on Gaza, which have killed more than 43,000 people since last October.
He said the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is under threat, noting that Israel’s far-right politicians, including ministers, have openly expressed their intention to change its historical status quo.
This situation is a matter of concern not only for Palestinians but for all Muslims he stressed.
The appeal comes after Israel has accused Turkey of “malice” following their submission of a letter to the UN calling for an arms embargo on Israel, according to Levantis.me.
The comments were made on November 4th by Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, following the motion which was signed by 52 countries.
Danon said: “What else can be expected from a country whose actions are driven by malice in an attempt to create conflicts with the support of the ‘Axis of Evil’ countries.”
The “Axis of Evil” he referenced were the Arab countries who had signed the communication.
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Meanwhile, Turkish President Erdogan called for unity among Turkic nations to support a just resolution to the Palestinian issue on November 4th, according to Levantis.me.
He made the appeal at the sixth meeting of the Türkiye-Kyrgyzstan High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek.
In his address, Erdogan said: “As the Turkic world, it is extremely important that we continue our efforts for a lasting and just solution to the Palestinian issue.”
“Israel’s attacks on Lebanon now threaten regional security and the international order.”
While Israel’s war in Gaza and Lebanon continues, many states, including Türkiye, have called for implementation of the two-state solution to achieve enduring peace.
Anadolu Agency, Levantis.me and Agencies
