Ankara, Aug. 13 (SANA) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed developments in Gaza and the West Bank during talks in Ankara on Wednesday, with both leaders reiterating support for a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The talks covered the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories, regional developments and bilateral relations, as well as ways to expand cooperation between Palestine and Türkiye, according to the Palestinian news agency.
Abbas briefed Erdoğan on the dangerous escalation in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, citing settlement expansion, settler attacks, annexation measures, killings, arrests, demolitions, land seizures and attacks on Islamic and Christian holy sites.
He said Israel continued its aggression against the Gaza Strip, where Palestinians were facing blockade, starvation and daily killings despite the announcement of an agreement to implement the second phase of a ceasefire.
Abbas reaffirmed that Gaza is an integral part of the State of Palestine and said its future must be within a single Palestinian state with one law, one legitimate institution and one legitimate weapon, in accordance with the Palestine Liberation Organization’s program.
Speaking at a joint press conference after the talks, Abbas said a just peace could only be achieved by ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He also rejected the displacement of Palestinians or seizure of their land and praised efforts by Türkiye, Egypt, Qatar and the United States to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, facilitate humanitarian aid and create conditions for recovery and reconstruction.
Erdoğan, for his part, said Türkiye would continue to defend the Palestinian cause at international forums and reiterated Ankara’s support for an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Turkish president said that Israeli government is “committing genocide” and continuing illegal practices in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, including forced displacement and land seizures, and reiterated Türkiye’s opposition to attempts to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites.
Erdoğan also called for conditions to be established as soon as possible to begin Gaza’s reconstruction and ensure security there, reaffirming Türkiye’s support for a two-state solution.
Abbas arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for a two-day official visit as part of regular political consultations between the two sides.
T.S /ABD
