Erdogan, Abbas Discuss Ceasefire, Reconciliation between Palestinian Factions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (File- Turkish Presidency)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (File- Turkish Presidency)
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Erdogan, Abbas Discuss Ceasefire, Reconciliation between Palestinian Factions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (File- Turkish Presidency)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (File- Turkish Presidency)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discussed on Tuesday the latest developments in the Palestinian territories in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression, efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and reconciliation talks between Palestinian factions.

The two presidents met at the presidential palace in Ankara where they tackled the situation in Gaza and the West Bank, in addition to the humanitarian situation with the war now in its fifth month.

An expanded meeting was also held between the Palestinian and Turkish delegations following the meeting of the two presidents.

The Palestinian delegation included Hussein al-Sheikh, Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the president's adviser for diplomatic affairs Majdi Khaldi, the president’s son Yasser Abbas and the Palestinian ambassador to Türkiye, Faed Mustafa.

Abbas arrived in Ankara on Monday evening at the invitation of the Turkish President.

On the eve of his meeting with the Palestinian President, Erdogan said that the war in Gaza tops Türkiye’s agenda and that his country will continue to do its best to bring about a ceasefire in the Strip and to help the Palestinians rebuild their land.

He said Ankara is also ready to provide various forms of assistance, including participation in the mechanism of guarantors after the war ends.

After chairing a cabinet meeting on Monday night, Erdogan said he would discuss with Abbas the Gaza situation in various aspects, stressing that any state or people that legitimizes the systematic dispossession of Palestinian land, will not enjoy a safe future.

He said that Türkiye is trying to support the people of Gaza through diplomatic initiatives and humanitarian aid.

“Türkiye is doing its best for Gaza and Palestine, it will continue to do so,” Erdogan added.

He then urged a unified Islamic world like bricks of a wall, to face what is happening in Gaza.



Lebanon's New President Says to Ensure State Has Exclusive Right to Carry Arms

This handout photo released by the Lebanese parliament shows Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun delivering a speech after his election in Beirut, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by LEBANESE PARLIAMENT / AFP)
This handout photo released by the Lebanese parliament shows Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun delivering a speech after his election in Beirut, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by LEBANESE PARLIAMENT / AFP)
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Lebanon's New President Says to Ensure State Has Exclusive Right to Carry Arms

This handout photo released by the Lebanese parliament shows Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun delivering a speech after his election in Beirut, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by LEBANESE PARLIAMENT / AFP)
This handout photo released by the Lebanese parliament shows Newly elected Lebanese president Joseph Aoun delivering a speech after his election in Beirut, on January 9, 2025. (Photo by LEBANESE PARLIAMENT / AFP)

Lebanon's newly elected President Joseph Aoun told lawmakers on Thursday that he will work to ensure the state has the exclusive right to carry arms, in his first speech at parliament after he was elected.

His comments were seen partly as a reference to Hezbollah's arsenal, which he had not commented on publicly as the former army commander.

In a first round of voting Thursday, Aoun received 71 out of 128 votes but fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to win outright. Of the rest, 37 lawmakers cast blank ballots and 14 voted for “sovereignty and the constitution.”
In the second round, he received 99 votes.

In his speech in parliament, Aoun also pledged to carry out reforms to the judicial system and fight corruption.

He promised to control the country’s borders and “ensure the activation of the security services and to discuss a strategic defense policy that will enable the Lebanese state to remove the Israeli occupation from all Lebanese territories” in southern Lebanon, where the Israeli military has not yet withdrawn from dozens of villages.

He also vowed to reconstruct “what the Israeli army destroyed in the south, east and (Beirut’s southern) suburbs.”

Thursday’s vote came weeks after a tenuous ceasefire agreement halted a 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and at a time when Lebanon’s leaders are seeking international assistance for reconstruction.

Aoun said he would call for parliamentary consultations as soon as possible on naming a new prime minister.