Ramallah: President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, expressed his profound gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a telephone call, commending Turkey's unwavering political support for the Palestinian cause.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, President Abbas thanked President Erdogan for Turkey's ongoing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people, particularly in the face of dire humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. He lauded Turkey's firm opposition to attempts aimed at displacing Palestinians and emphasized the necessity of coordinated efforts between Palestine and Turkey to counter Israeli policies that breach international laws and legitimacy.
President Abbas highlighted the serious implications of the Israeli occupation government's decision to reoccupy the Gaza Strip and displace its residents as a new addition to the series of Israeli infractions in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. He called for immediate action to halt these developments and reaffirmed the Palestinian leadership's commitment to pursuing political efforts on multiple fronts, such as engaging with the UN Security Council, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to garner international and regional backing against these plans.
He underscored the importance of empowering the State of Palestine to assume full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip, advocating for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and detainees, and the facilitation of humanitarian aid. President Abbas stressed the necessity for Palestine to take on security responsibilities with support from Arab and international partners, alongside the withdrawal of occupation forces from the Gaza Strip, to ensure unified governance and the rule of law under the State's authority.
On his part, President Erdogan reiterated Turkey's steadfast support for the Palestinian people and their resilience. He assured that Turkey would persist in its efforts to achieve a ceasefire and deliver humanitarian assistance. Erdogan mentioned his consultations with numerous global leaders to address the gravity of Israel's decision to expand conflict and reoccupy Gaza, emphasizing that such actions are unacceptable. Furthermore, the Turkish President expressed his country's support for Palestine's call for an emergency ministerial-level session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to discuss these critical Israeli decisions, noting Turkey's urgent request for the session in its capacity as the current session's chair.
