CORRECTS - UPDATE - Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands main cause of instability in Middle East: Turkish foreign minister

UPDATES WITH MORE REMARKS BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, CORRECTS EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER'S NAME; OTHER SMALL EDITS

By Esra Tekin, Muhammet Tarhan and Busranur Koca

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday said Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is one of the primary causes of the instability in the Middle East region.

“The occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel and the unconditional support of the West for this are one of the main reasons for the instability problem in the Middle East,” said Hakan Fidan during a joint news conference in Istanbul with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry.

Unless this is addressed, tensions in the region will continue to escalate, Fidan said, adding: "If this crisis is not resolved properly, if Palestinians are not given the state, independence, and sovereignty they deserve, such crises will continue to escalate in our region."

"Other countries shouldn't fall into the luxury of thinking that ‘these things will only happen in the Middle East, they won't affect us.' They shouldn't dismiss anything like that,” he added.

Fidan stressed that during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's visit to Cairo in February, determination in this regard was expressed at the leadership level.

He also underlined the signing of a joint statement on reestablishment of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Cairo.

Fidan said the Palestine issue may trigger global issues, adding: “Cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye is extremely beneficial for our peoples and region.”

Flouting an International Court of Justice provisional ruling, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where over 34,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 77,000 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice. An interim ruling in January ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

Hostilities have continued unabated, however, and aid deliveries remain woefully insufficient to address the humanitarian catastrophe.