ANKARA: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has welcomed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas with an official ceremony at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara, Turkish media reported on Tuesday.
Palestinian and Turkish Leaders Meet in Ankara
President Erdogan vowed to continue supporting the Palestinian cause and said that they would continue to support the Palestinian cause in the strongest way possible. He added that Ankara was deeply concerned regarding the violence of illegal settlers. He expressed these remarks during a joint news conference with President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday in Ankara.
Abbas and Erdogan held one-on-one meeting at the presidential complex to discuss bilateral ties, the Palestine-Israel issue, and other regional and global developments.
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“We cannot tolerate any attempt to change the historical status quo of holy places, especially the al Aqsa Mosque. The reconciliation and unity of the Palestinians are key elements in this process,” the Turkish President added.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also expected to visit Turkey this week, but the visit was deferred due to his unscheduled surgery. Turkey strongly supports a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine issue, including the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital city.
