President Erdoan Calls For Stopping Israeli Settlement Construction: We Must Protect Jerusalem And West Bank

Presiden Turki Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Wikimedia Commons/Kremlin.ru/The Russian Presidential Press and Information Office)

JAKARTA - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the importance of ending the policy of illegal settlements, the destruction of forced displacement, confiscation and evacuation in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, underlining Turkey's determination to defend the Palestinian cause to the end.

Sending a video message to the 37th meeting of the Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (ISEDAK) in Istanbul, President Erdogan called on member states to refrain from any actions that would weaken the Palestinian cause.

"We must work with all our might to maintain the status and sanctity of Jerusalem, the capital of Palestine. The main thing is the establishment of lasting peace and stability, based on a two-state solution and well-established international parameters," said President Erdogan quoting the Daily Sabah November 24.

Last week, President Erdoğan and Israeli President Isaac Herzog discussed bilateral relations and regional issues in a phone call. During the meeting, President Erdoan said that the relationship between the two countries is important for the security and stability of the Middle East.

"Differences of opinion can be minimized if there is mutual understanding on bilateral and regional issues," according to a statement.

Stressing the importance of rebuilding a culture of peace, tolerance and coexistence in the region, President Erdogan said in this regard, the development of Palestinian-Israeli relations and the resumption of the peace process are priorities.

In addition, President Erdoan noted that maintaining contact and dialogue between Turkey and Israel is in the common interest.

Turkey emphasizes the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East, through a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue within the framework of international law and UN resolutions.

For information, Turkey continues to criticize Israel's policies targeting Palestinians, including illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.