Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin has said there can be no peace in the Middle East without addressing the Palestinian cause and ending Israel’s occupation.
Speaking at the official opening ceremony of the TRT World Forum 2026 on Friday at the Istanbul Congress Center, Kalin said:
“There is no Palestine without Gaza, and there is no peace in the Middle East without peace about the Palestinian cause.”
“Palestinians are not the problem; the problem is the occupation,” he added, stressing that “without ending the occupation, there will be no solution, no peace, no justice in the Middle East.”
Kalin said Gaza is an integral part of Palestine and the Palestinian struggle extended beyond territorial questions to broader principles of justice and equality.
“Gaza is part of Palestine, and Palestine is part of a struggle for justice, for dignity, and for equality for all,” he said.
“It’s not just about a piece of land; it’s also about universal values, moral principles.”
Earlier, speaking at the same forum, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that recent regional developments show the current international system has “raised the white flag of surrender,” accusing the world’s institutions of standing aside as Israeli violence continues in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
