Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş said Monday that ending Israel’s military actions against Palestinians would be essential not only for achieving peace in the Middle East but also for ensuring broader global stability.
Speaking at the opening of the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul, Kurtulmuş said lasting peace could not be achieved without a peaceful Middle East, and that peace in the region was impossible without a just resolution for the Palestinian people.
“The end of these acts of aggression by the Israeli government would not only allow Palestinians to attain peace and tranquility, but would also mean securing world peace,” he said.
Kurtulmuş reiterated Türkiye’s support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, saying a two-state solution remained the only viable path toward a lasting settlement.
He also urged NATO allies and the wider international community to support diplomatic efforts to end conflicts across the region.
Referring to the recently signed memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States, Kurtulmuş welcomed negotiations launched in Switzerland, expressing hope they would result in “a lasting and just peace,” rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Highlighting Türkiye’s diplomatic role in regional conflicts, Kurtulmuş pointed to Ankara’s mediation efforts that helped facilitate the Black Sea Grain Initiative and multiple prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.
On defense cooperation, he said Türkiye had significantly strengthened its domestic defense industry and stood ready to share its capabilities with NATO allies.
Kurtulmuş also reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to NATO’s target of allocating 5% of gross domestic product to defense spending while criticizing defense industry restrictions imposed by some allies. He described such embargoes as unilateral, meaningless, and incompatible with the alliance’s principles.
Calling the current international environment a “historic crossroads,” Kurtulmuş urged NATO members to deepen cooperation in support of a more just, equitable, and secure international order.
