'Threat to global security!' - Turkey's Fidan calls on international community to stop 'expansionism of Israel'

"Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged the international community on Friday to act against the 'expansionism of Israel,' warning that an 'unjust international system' doesn't resolve crises - it intensifies them. "The expansionism of Israel, which started with the genocide in Gaza and then spread to Lebanon and Syria, has come to directly threaten global security," Fidan said during his opening speech at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. "If a lasting peace is desired in our region and beyond, the international community urgently needs to put a stop to this expansionism that exports instability worldwide," he stressed. Fidan commended Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his role in mediating the 10-day ceasefire between Iran and Lebanon, but emphasised that further measures must be taken for regional stability. "However, this environment of calm provided does not address the root cause of the problem and should not be overlooked," he noted. Tensions in the Middle East escalated after Israel and the United States launched military operations against Iran on February 28. Tehran responded with strikes targeting Israeli territory and US interests in the region. The conflict spilt into Lebanon after Hezbollah announced its intervention 'in revenge' for the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The US and Iran reached a conditional two-week ceasefire agreement on April 8, followed by 21 hours of talks in Islamabad. No deal was reached and diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump declared a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday. Trump added that he invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun for talks at the White House. The Antalya Diplomacy Forum, organised by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, is set to run from April 17 to 19 under the theme 'Dealing with Uncertainty in Shaping the Future.' The event is expected to draw around 5,000 guests from more than 150 countries, including over 20 heads of state and government, about 15 vice presidents or prime ministers, and more than 40 foreign ministers."

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