Turkey is set to address the Gaza conflict and its relations with the Arab League during a ministerial meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, marking its first participation in 13 years, according to a Turkish diplomatic source on Monday.
Turkey, which has strongly criticized Israel’s military actions against Hamas in Gaza and has supported steps toward accusing Israel of genocide at the World Court, has experienced strained relations with the Arab League in recent years.
Despite repairing relations with Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, Turkey remains at odds with other Arab League members, particularly Syria. After the Gaza war erupted, Turkey joined a joint contact group established at an Arab League and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit aimed at ending the conflict.
A Turkish source stated that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s invitation reflects a “growing interest” in Turkey’s regional influence and improved relations with Arab League countries. Ankara seeks to strengthen institutional ties and collaboration with the League.
Improving relations with Arab League members could facilitate solutions to regional issues and promote future cooperation, the source noted.
Meanwhile, negotiations between Turkey and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) for a free trade agreement are ongoing, with hopes of concluding the deal by year-end. President Tayyip Erdogan recently called for a coalition of Islamic nations to counter what he described as Israeli “expansionism.”
Turkey last participated in an Arab League meeting in 2011, when Erdogan, then prime minister, addressed the group’s ministers in Cairo.
