ANKARA, Tuesday, March 5, 2024 (WAFA) - President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas today affirmed that security and peace are only achieved by ending the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with its capital East Jerusalem, so that all the peoples of the region can live in security, peace and good neighborly relations.
During a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which was held following a bilateral meeting in the Turkish capital Ankara, President Abbas assured that: "We will continue to unite our people and our land, and we will continue to work toward coming together under the political programs and international commitments of the Palestine Liberation Organization; the sole legitimate representative of our Palestinian people.”
The President said: "We meet again today, in extremely difficult circumstances inflicted upon our people and cause, adding: “I have discussed with His Excellency President Erdogan the latest developments in the Palestinian territories, ways to stop the brutal Israeli aggression and the genocidal war waged against our people and their capacities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the urgent efforts taken to introduce humanitarian aid into the Strip, prevent the displacement of Palestinians and stop the seizure of our clearance funds and the strangulation of the Palestinian economy."
The president, during the joint press conference, stressed that actions are being made to stop the Israeli attacks on the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and on Islamic and Christian holy sites, especially as the start of the holy month of Ramadan is approaching, which threatens unrest due to Israeli restrictions and the attacks and bans imposed on Muslim worshipers’ access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam.
The President added: "Actions made in the international arena and at international forums were also discussed in order to stop the aggression, provide international protection to the Palestinian people and achieve a political solution, starting with granting the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations by a decision of the Security Council, recognizing the state of Palestine by more countries, the convening of an international peace conference to implement the political solution and the provision of international guarantees, including a timetable for implementation. “We are counting on Turkey's support in this regard.”
He reiterated the state of Palestine’s categorical rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people from the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, including Jerusalem, stressing that the full Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip must be made because it is an integral part of the Palestinian state and the plans of the occupation authorities to separate the Strip from the West Bank, including Jerusalem, re-occupy it, or force any territorial reduction of its territory cannot be accepted or dealt with.
The President thanked his Turkish counterpart and the brotherly Turkish people for their continuous positions in support of the Palestinian people and their just cause and the humanitarian assistance provided by Turkey to our people in the Gaza Strip, stressing keenness to develop and strengthen the historical bilateral relations between the two countries and brotherly peoples based on fraternity and cooperation.
T.R.