Erdogan, Abbas Adhere to Two-State Solution as Key for Peace in Middle East

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara on Tuesday (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara on Tuesday (Reuters)
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Erdogan, Abbas Adhere to Two-State Solution as Key for Peace in Middle East

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara on Tuesday (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara on Tuesday (Reuters)

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.



Palestinian Health Ministry Says One Dead in Israel West Bank Raid

Demonstrators clash with Palestinian security forces in Nablus in the West Bank (File photo/Reuters)
Demonstrators clash with Palestinian security forces in Nablus in the West Bank (File photo/Reuters)
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Palestinian Health Ministry Says One Dead in Israel West Bank Raid

Demonstrators clash with Palestinian security forces in Nablus in the West Bank (File photo/Reuters)
Demonstrators clash with Palestinian security forces in Nablus in the West Bank (File photo/Reuters)

The health ministry in the occupied West Bank said one person was killed and nine injured in an Israeli raid on a refugee camp, with the Israeli military saying Saturday it had opened fire at "terrorists".

An 18-year-old man, Muhammad Medhat Amin Amer, "was killed by bullets from the (Israeli) occupation in the Balata camp" in the territory's north, the Palestinian health ministry said in a late-night statement, adding that nine people were injured, "four of whom are in critical condition".

According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, the raid began on Friday night and triggered violent clashes, AFP reported.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli troops entered the camp from the Awarta checkpoint and "deployed snipers on the rooftops of surrounding buildings".

In a statement on Saturday, the Israeli military said that during the "counterterrorism" operation, "terrorists placed explosives in the area in order to harm (military) soldiers, hurled explosives, molotov cocktails, and rocks and shot fireworks at the forces".

"The forces fired toward the terrorists in order to remove the threat. Hits were identified," the statement said.

Violence in the West Bank has intensified since war broke out in the Gaza Strip after Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

Since then, at least 815 Palestinians have been killed in the territory by Israeli troops or settlers, according to the Palestinian health ministry in Ramallah.

In the same period, Palestinian attacks in the West Bank have killed at least 25 Israelis, according to official Israeli figures.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since conquering it in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.