Hakan Fidan: It is an 'attempted genocide' in Gaza

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg spoke at a joint press conference held after their meetings at the ministry.

In his statement at the joint press conference, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan noted that in the Palestine-Israel issue, Israel is an occupying power and that the war here did not break out out of nowhere, stating, "Israel's systematic killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians, not just for one day but for seven months, is a crime against humanity. This is an attempted genocide, an act of genocide."

Fidan said that they understand the stance taken today by Germany, Austria, and some European countries due to the unfortunate events that took place during World War II, adding, "But the point we want to underline is this: whatever was done yesterday was wrong, and what is being done today is just as wrong. Just as it was wrong for innocent Jews to be killed in concentration camps yesterday, it is equally wrong for innocent Palestinian children and mothers to be killed by large bombs while they sleep in their beds at night." Stating to his European friends that they must act on principle, Fidan continued:

Let us look at what is being done, not who is doing it. What we must condemn is the killing of civilians itself. What we must stand by is the oppressed, the one being killed. Let us proceed from here. Otherwise, if those who were oppressed in history have become the oppressors today, excusing the oppression they commit today because of their past victimization will lead us down the wrong path. Therefore, one must look at the activity itself rather than the actor; one must look at the action itself.

"ISRAEL IS AN OCCUPYING POWER"

Minister Fidan stated that in the Palestine-Israel issue, Israel is an occupying power, that the war here did not break out out of nowhere, and that there is 'an occupation' in question. Fidan stated that the occupation continues every day in various forms by thieves called settlers stealing the lands of Palestinians, and emphasized that the international community has done nothing to stop this or exert pressure.

Foreign Minister Fidan noted the following:

Everyone knew that an explosion would happen, and this explosion occurred on October 7. Of course, as Turkey, we condemned the killing of civilians on October 7. This is our principle. But in the same way, Israel's subsequent systematic killing of thousands of innocent Palestinians, not just for one day but for seven months, displacing millions of people, and making an entire settlement area uninhabitable is a crime against humanity. This is an attempted genocide, an act of genocide.

Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg stated that people from Turkey have come to Austria, become citizens of this country, and have made a very significant contribution to Austria's economic success. Schallenberg pointed out that the Turks who have come to his country have success stories in culture, politics, and the economic world, and are an indispensable part of their society.

Schallenberg emphasized that despite international developments, the two countries have relations, that his country is the 6th largest investor in Turkey, and that they want to develop this further, saying, "There is a great deal of interest here. As both the European Union and Austria, we want to have better cooperation with Turkey. Of course, we have some justified doubts regarding full membership, but we should have such a fully measured goal that protects the interests of both sides."

'EVEN IF WE DO NOT ALWAYS AGREE...'

Stating that 'Turkey bears a heavy burden regarding immigrants and needs more support regarding irregular migration,' Schallenberg continued:

"There is a need for cooperation on security, and this must be addressed in a very broad scope. Of course, when we look around Turkey right now, it is in a ring of fire, whether in the east or in the coastal region; all these hotbeds of crisis exist. Turkey has a very important role and responsibility in this regard.

I would like to once again appreciate Turkey's role regarding Russia's brutal attack, this attack on Ukraine, and we hope that the people in Ukraine, under this assault, under this attack, will suffer less and that Turkey will undertake this mediation role in other matters as well. For example; in the South Caucasus region, and Turkey, of course, needs to know and remember again that its word carries great weight in the Middle East."

Schallenberg said that they do not always agree, but they are in agreement on the outcome. Regarding the Palestinian issue, Schallenberg conveyed that they want a two-state solution and that his country has been pursuing this solution for decades.

'HAMAS ALSO HAS A ROLE'

Regarding the effects of Turkey's mediation activities and diplomatic efforts in the Israel-Palestine conflict on Austria, Austrian Foreign Minister Schallenberg stated, "An Austrian citizen of ours is being held captive there, in the hands of Hamas. The Turkish side will also show its best effort here. We are also talking to Qatar. We are trying everything. We would like to thank our Turkish friends in advance for their support."

Emphasizing that international law rules are valid always and everywhere, Schallenberg pointed out that Hamas also has a role in Israel's attacks on Palestine, which began on October 7, 2023. Schallenberg said, "The problems in this region concern us all. We, of course, want a sustainable political relationship network to be established in the region above all else." Regarding the situation of civilians in the region, Schallenberg noted the following:

We have to work much harder to protect the civilian population. There are civilian victims on one side here. We have also told our Israeli partners. We want to see an acceptable and implementable plan. There are people fleeing to the north of Gaza now, but there needs to be an arrangement regarding that. We are also holding talks with other countries in the European Union and we want to create a clear solution. A solution is needed especially for the civilians in that region.

News Source: 12punto