Turkish President Erdogan meets PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Ankara, accusing Israel of exploiting regional turmoil and pledging support for Palestinian statehood.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government on Wednesday, claiming Israel is attempting to push the Palestinian Arab issue off the global stage, AFP reported. “The aim of the Netanyahu government is to remove Palestine from the common agenda of humanity by profiting from chaos and new conflicts in the region," Erdogan alleged during a joint press briefing alongside Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas.
Vowing that Ankara would continue advocating for the creation of a Palestinian state, Erdogan added, “No matter what they do, they will not succeed. The Palestinian cause will continue to grow in people’s hearts as they try to destroy it." The Turkish leader has maintained a vocal anti-Israel stance, frequently attacking Netanyahu's government with accusations of "genocide" in the Gaza Strip and expansionist policies across Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, Syria, and surrounding areas.
While Ankara and Jerusalem were nearing a diplomatic reconciliation prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist massacre in southern Israel, relations collapsed rapidly afterward, with Turkish officials repeatedly lambasting the Jewish state.In March of last year, Erdogan labeled Israel a "terror state" following preemptive strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Gaza. Months later, he claimed Netanyahu's government posed the single greatest threat to Middle Eastern stability. Abbas arrived in Ankara on Tuesday leading a delegation that included senior official Ziad Abu Amr, intelligence chief Majed Faraj, and diplomatic advisor Majdi Khalidi. (Ed note: But isn't President Erdogan of Turkey, President Trump's best friend. and doesn't Erdogan hate both PM Netanyahu and Israel? (Read More)
