OIC to meet in Istanbul on May 18 to discuss Israeli violence

JEDDAH – Anadolu Agency

The 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will hold an extraordinary summit in Istanbul on May 18 to discuss recent Israeli violence against Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip.

According to an OIC statement, the summit is being convened at the invitation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

On May 14, at least 61 Palestinians were killed near the Gaza border by Israeli army gunfire during protests against the relocation of Washington’s Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Turkey has responded to the violence by asking the Israeli ambassadorin Ankara to leave the country, while also recalling its ambassadors to the U.S. and Israel “for consultations.”

Since the Gaza rallies kicked off on March 30, scores of Palestinian demonstrators have been killed and thousands were injured by Israeli troops deployed along the other side of the border.