Israel’s expansionist policies pose main threat to region, says Turkish president

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday said Israel’s expansionist policies pose the main security threat to the region.

“Israeli aggression has once again shown that the main security problem for our region is the expansionist, lawless and norm-defying policies of the current government,” Erdoğan said at a joint news conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in the capital Ankara.

“Türkiye and Algeria share a common stance on ending the spiral of violence that seriously threatens the peace and security of our region,” he added.

Tebboune also condemned Israeli actions in the region.

“We condemn the Israeli occupation, its violations of international humanitarian law, its blatant attacks on Lebanon, and its barbaric practices in the Gaza Strip,” he said.

Earlier, Erdoğan welcomed Tebboune at the Presidential Complex, where the two leaders co-chaired the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council Meeting.

They later attended a signing ceremony for bilateral agreements.

Erdoğan said Ankara was determined to strengthen cooperation with Algeria in strategic sectors, including energy, mining, transportation and agriculture.

He added that the two countries were continuing to deepen long-term cooperation on energy supply security, “especially natural gas.”

Tebboune said Algeria and Türkiye also aim to diversify economic ties and preserve their “shared historical heritage.”