Ankara warns of conflict spillover after Israel’s Rafah offensive

ANKARA

Turkiye has underlined once again that the armed conflict risks to spread to the broader region of the Middle East after Israel’s harsh military offensive into Gaza.

“The fact an Egyptian soldier was martyred by the Israelis in the Rafah border crossing shows the danger of the spillover of the conflict,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a press conference with visiting Cambodian Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea on May 28.

Expressing his condolences and sorrow over the killing of the Egyptian soldier, Fidan reiterated that Israel will surely be held accountable for the crimes it is committing.

“Israel is pursuing the most possible tough and inhumane acts. We wholeheartedly believe that this genocide will not be left unpunished by international law and human conscience,” he stated.

Fidan has also repeated his criticisms against some Western countries, particularly the United States, who remain silent on these massacres.

“It would be impossible for Israel to continue this genocide without the support of the U.S. and other countries,” Fidan stated.

The Turkish foreign minister has raised the recognition of Palestine as a full state by the international community following the decision of Spain, Ireland and Norway.

“Although slow and late, the international community is enhancing Palestine’s efforts to become a full pledge state,” the minister recalled.

Minister Fidan described the three European countries’ move as a significantly important step to this end.

It is becoming much more important for the international community to cooperate with Palestine in its efforts to become a state, Fidan suggested.

In the meantime, the Turkish Foreign Ministry informed that Fidan and his colleagues from the Gaza Contact Group will travel to Spain on May 29 to congratulate Madrid for their decision to formally recognize Palestine.