Türkiye proposes new formula for Mid-East peace

SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ - ANKARA

Türkiye is testing the waters for a new model for resolving the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian question by including interested regional and Western states as the guarantors of the two sides to reach a lasting solution under the two-state principle.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan informed a group of Turkish journalists late on Oct. 16 about Türkiye’s policy concerning the escalation in the Middle East after the Hamas’ offensive against Israel on Oct. 7.

“We have two main priorities,” Fidan stressed, citing them as the protection of the civilian lives and delivering uninterrupted humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza and as launching a new effort to find a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem following a ceasefire between the parties.

As for the latter, Fidan recalled that the diplomatic efforts and models that have been exerted until now did not provide a result and underlined that a new understanding that involves some regional and Western nations as guarantors should now be discussed.

“We are proposing the [model of] guarantor-ship as the main idea,” he said, informing that he will raise this issue in his talks with all the interested parties in the coming days. “The international community should be in a position to force Israel to the two-state solution. Regional countries, the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation should attach importance to it,” he said.

Countries from the region, including Türkiye should be the guarantors of Palestine while some other countries may be chosen as Israel’s guarantors, the minister said. “The guarantor countries will bear responsibility for the implementation of an agreement on which the two sides will give consent. Should Israel want to be in security and a lasting peace, the Palestinians should have their own state,” he said.

“Thus, the guarantor countries will be part of the peace. Their presence will add sustainability and the continuity of the peace process,” Fidan told.

Fidan has recently been engaged in an intense diplomacy with his counterparts from the U.S., Russia, China, Egypt, Qatar and other Muslim states. He will be in Lebanon on Oct. 17 as part of his efforts to stop the spread of the conflict to other parts in the region. He will also join an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation.

On a question, Fidan said Türkiye’s proposal is open to other ideas or new amendments as the initiative is aiming to launch a discussion on how to proceed for a lasting solution. “It can either be under the U.N. or under any mechanism. We are not putting a specific system forward. We are ready to listen to those who have better ideas,” he suggested.

One of the common points of almost all the countries is the need for a negotiated settlement between Israel and Palestine but this could have never been achieved, Fidan underlined, “With this proposal we want to make sure that this common interest can be materialized. It has become clear that this issue cannot be solved only by Israelis and Palestinians. Guarantor countries will also be responsible of the process and will therefore commit themselves to peace and stability.”

Another priority Türkiye is weighing is that the armed conflict between Israel and Palestine should not spread out.

In Lebanon, Fidan is expected to call his counterparts to do whatever necessary to keep the Hezbollah out of this conflict as there are concerns that the group may seek to distract the Israeli army ahead of its probable ground operation into Gaza. Both Hezbollah and the Israeli army have intense military deployment on the border, but it has not yet turned into a military conflict.