Turkey's top diplomat visits Palestine
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met with his counterpart Riad al-Maliki in Ramallah and reaffirmed support for a Palestinian state before his next meeting with Israeli leaders.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey will continue to support Palestine’s fight for independence and sovereignty on the first leg of his two-day trip to Israel and Palestine today.
Speaking at a news conference with his Palestinian counterpart Riad al-Maliki in Ramallah, Cavusoglu said, “Turkey stands with Palestine and Palestinians in their struggle for an independent and sovereign state.”
The Palestinian cause is supported across party lines in Turkey, Cavusoglu observed, adding that Israeli aggression against Palestine, including illegal settlements and forced evictions, has torpedoed peace efforts. Cavusoglu also aired concerns over violent clashes between Israeli security forces and Muslim worshipers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem.
Al-Maliki described relations between Palestine, a former Ottoman dominion, and Turkey as “distinguished, authentic and strong.”
