Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed on Tuesday their adherence to the two-state solution to establish a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, as a basis for achieving peace and stability in the Middle East.
During a joint press conference held in Ankara, the two presidents also rejected any practices that undermine the rights and sanctities of the Palestinian people.
“We by no means accept actions aimed at changing the status of al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque,” Erdogan stressed following talks with his Palestinian counterpart.
The President said that Türkiye has recognized the State of Palestine from the moment it was proclaimed and defends the vision of a two-state solution on every platform.
“The steps taken in our relations with Israel will in no way reduce our support for the Palestinian cause,” Erdogan said. “On the contrary, our Palestinian brothers also express that these steps will contribute to a solution to the Palestinian issue and improve the situation of the Palestinian people."
Abbas’ visit to Türkiye, at the invitation of Erdogan, came a week after Israel and Türkiye announced they were restoring full diplomatic relations in the latest step in months of reconciliation between the two countries.
In the Turkish capital, Abbas expressed his deep appreciation for the consistent position of Erdogan in support of the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights to freedom and independence, as well as maintaining Palestinian national unity.
Abbas said that he seeks to advance bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries to new horizons of cooperation and exchange in various fields.
The President then stressed that the Palestinian leadership will not accept the aggressive practices of the Israeli occupation authorities against the Palestinian people, lands, and holy sites.
Abbas reiterated that achieving peace and security begins with a complete halt to undermining the two-state solution by the Israeli occupation authorities.
“The daily incursions by the occupation authorities into Palestinian cities, villages and camps, and what happened a few days ago with the closure of Palestinian civil and human rights institutions, ignites the situation,” he said, noting that these criminal practices cannot be tolerated and must stop before it is too late.
Abbas said that the meeting with Erdogan was also an opportunity to exchange points of view on the overall regional and international situation and highlight the important role that Ankara plays in global food security in light of the difficult circumstances the world is going through.
Erdogan held an official reception ceremony for the Palestinian president at the presidential palace in Ankara.
Both Presidents then held bilateral talks, and a press conference and later attended a dinner banquet held in Abbas’ honor.
