Erdoğan, Putin discuss latest developments in Palestine

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russia's Vladimir Putin discussed in a phone call the current situation in Gaza and Jerusalem, Turkey's presidency said on May 12, as Ankara seeks international action against Israel.

Erdoğan told Putin the international community needed to "teach a deterrent lesson" to Israel, adding that Ankara was working to mobilize this reaction, according to a statement from his office.

Erdoğan also called for work to be done on sending international peacekeepers to the region to help safeguard Palestinians, a proposal Turkey has made since 2018.

The Turkish president also spoke with his Algerian counterpart over the phone on May 12 and discussed strengthening cooperation in defense of the Palestinian cause.

Erdoğan and his Algerian counterpart Abdelmadjid Tebboune spoke about Turkey and Algeria's relations and regional issues, as well as Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

Erdoğan stressed that Turkey continues its efforts on all platforms for the international community to react strongly and deterrent against Israel's attacks on the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in Masjid Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem.

Erdoğan also underlined that he believes the cooperation between Turkey and Algeria, which is strengthened in every field, will continue increasingly in defense of the Palestinian cause.

Both leaders also exchanged good wishes on the upcoming Eid al-Fitr, which is marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on May 13.

In the meantime, Algerian Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum said on May 12 that Algeria is coordinating with Turkey to halt Israeli aggression on the Palestinians.

Boukadoum and his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu spoke over the phone to discuss the developments in the Palestinian territories.

"I thank my colleague Mevlut Çavuşoğlu, Turkey's Foreign Minister, for the phone call to coordinate efforts to confront the [Israeli] aggression on our brothers in Palestine." Boukadoum wrote on Twitter.

On May 11, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey was leading efforts to issue a resolution by the U.N. General Assembly on the Israeli attacks on the Palestinians.

Çavuşoğlu confirmed that Turkey will continue its efforts to defend the rights of the Palestinian people, saying Ankara was leading diplomatic efforts at high levels on the situation in the Palestinian lands.