Urgent solution must stop Israel, Erdoğan tells Lebanese PM

WASHINGTON

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Sept. 25 that the international community must urgently implement a solution to stop Israel's aggression.

During their New York talks on the sidelines of a U.N. General Assembly session, Erdoğan condemned Israel’s actions, accusing the country of "ignoring fundamental human rights and committing genocide in front of the eyes of the world."

Stopping the Israeli attacks is "a humanitarian duty," he said.

“We stand by Lebanon against the attacks,” Erdoğan told Mikati, adding that the international community must show solidarity to prevent further destabilization.

Following his meeting with Mikati, Erdoğan also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. Discussions focused on bilateral relations as well as pressing regional and global issues, according to Erdoğan’s office.

The president reiterated the importance of global unity to counter Israel’s actions. "Israel will definitely be held accountable for its massacres in the Palestinian territories," he said.

In a separate meeting at New York's Turkish House, a skyscraper located across from the U.N. building, Erdoğan hosted Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embalo. Their talks centered on trade, economic ties and cooperation in the military and defense sectors.

Erdoğan traveled to the U.S. on Sept. 21 to address the General Assembly on Sept. 24. He returned to Türkiye on Sept. 26 after a series of high-profile bilateral meetings.

Among his delegation were Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Şimşek, Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and National Intelligence Organization (MİT) chief İbrahim Kalın.

During a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Erdoğan criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration, accusing it of violating international law and human rights.

The two leaders also discussed Türkiye-Germany bilateral relations, Ankara's EU membership bid and challenges Turkish citizens face in obtaining Schengen visas, according to Erdoğan’s office.

During separate talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Erdoğan emphasized the need for peace amid Israel’s attacks on Palestine and Lebanon.

In a series of previous meetings, Erdoğan also met with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The president also welcomed Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the Turkish house. He noted "significant progress" in efforts to normalize ties between Ankara and Yerevan, as the neighbors have been working on this since appointing special representatives in 2021.

His engagement extended to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, with whom he discussed bilateral relations and global issues, including the conflict in Gaza.

They agreed to hold a high-level cooperation council meeting in Türkiye in early 2025.

Erdoğan stressed the importance of dialogue in addressing regional and global challenges.

His comments come amid a thaw in relations between Türkiye and Greece. The rapprochement began with a meeting between Erdoğan and Mitsotakis at a NATO summit in July last year.