Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said recent steps to normalize Ankara’s ties with Israel will not weaken the country’s support for Palestine in the conflict between the two sides. Erdogan’s remarks come as he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday as part of the latter’s official visit to Turkey’s capital, Ankara. Abbas’ three-day visit comes as Turkey and Israel take steps to normalize relations. Last week, Turkey and Israel said they would reappoint ambassadors, four years after they were expelled over the killing of 60 Palestinians by Israeli forces during protests in Gaza against the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem. Erdogan told a joint press conference that Ankara continues its longstanding solidarity with Palestine in the strongest possible way. He said that Turkey, which has recognized the Palestinian state since its declaration, defends the vision of a two-state solution on every platform. “We have clearly shown our response to Israeli attacks and civilian casualties,” he said. Erdogan has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, calling Israel a “terrorist state”.
Abbas welcomes Turkish support
Erdogan said the Palestinian Authority, including different political factions, welcomed the normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel and wanted dialogue to continue. “On the contrary, our Palestinian brothers also express that these steps will contribute to the solution of the Palestinian issue and the improvement of the situation of the Palestinian people,” Erdogan said. Abbas did not mention Turkish-Israeli relations in his remarks, but thanked Erdogan for his past support. “I would like to thank you for the great attention and hospitality you have shown us,” Abbas told Erdogan. “I would like to reiterate my gratitude for the fact that Turkey and the Turkish government are on the side of Palestine.” The veteran Palestinian leader’s visit is widely seen as Turkey’s attempt to show it has stood by old allies even as it mends relations with more recent adversaries. Turkey has gradually mended fences across the region as it seeks new deals and investment to help recover from its deepest economic crisis in more than two decades. The warming with Israel comes with plans to restore Israeli airlines’ direct flights between the two countries, which could bring more tourists to Turkey’s resorts. Ankara also hopes to revive an eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline project that won tentative US support last year. Separately, in a televised interview with Haber Global on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who visited Israel in May, said an ambassador candidate for Israel would be presented to Erdogan in the “next few days.” “The steps we are taking do not mean that Turkey will make concessions,” he said.
