Turkish FM warns of 'clash of civilisations'

Türkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned that humanity is closer than ever to a “clash of civilisations.”

“We have never been this close to the clash of civilisations in real terms,” Fidan said on Tuesday at the 10th UN Alliance of Civilisation Initiative Meeting in Portugal.

Fidan criticised the global rise in hatred, extremism, xenophobia, and racism, highlighting Israel’s genocide in Palestine's Gaza as the “worst” example of such problems and calling for the international community to address the issue.

The minister argued that hatred is being intentionally fueled worldwide, warning of the risks of inaction. “The more we keep silent, the more fragmentation in the international system will occur,” he said, emphasising the dire consequences of ignoring these trends.

Highlighting the civilian deaths in Gaza due to Israel’s relentless attacks for 14 months, Fidan said there would be no peace on the horizon as long as hunger, deprivation, and death continue in Gaza.

He called on the global community to take urgent action to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and to prevent further destabilisation in the region.

The minister’s address echoed Türkiye’s longstanding criticism of the international community's failure to act on the Gaza crisis, and its broader call for global solidarity against rising divisions.