Turkey is willing to take an active role in the future of Gaza, including deploying troops to the enclave, the country’s foreign minister has said.
In an exclusive interview with On the Record with Hadley Gamble at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Hakan Fidan said: “We are ready to do everything in our power to make a contribution to the Gaza peace plan.
"As such, we are prepared to take part in ISF [the International Stabilisation Force].”
“So just like we became part of the Board of Peace, now we are working on the executive committee on Gaza, and we are doing a lot of humanitarian assistance, Mr Fidan said.
Turkey’s commitment to peace includes the possibility of putting its troops in Gaza.
“We are not ruling out [boots on the ground]. We are willing to do that,” Mr Fidan said. “But as I said, subject to discussion and agreement on certain countries, and we'll see how it goes.”
He spoke after heads of government and senior politicians took part in the launch event for US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative at the WEF.
The board includes representatives from nations, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt. Israel and Hamas signed off on the plan in October.
“We believe President Trump is the only person who can really put real pressure on Israel,” Mr Fidan said. “If he wants, he has the capacity to put pressure on Israel and stop Israel's wrong behaviour.”
Asked about widespread protests in Iran, he doesn’t believe the country will undergo regime change, but “we just don’t know”.
“I don't believe what's happening in Iran will lead to regime change,” said Fidan. But if it came to a Venezuela-style intervention by the US, Mr Fidan said: “I will advise my American friends: Don’t.”
