Türkiye works with Arab nations to protect Jerusalem: Fidan

ANKARA

Türkiye is closely working with Arab nations, especially Palestine and Jordan for the protection of the identity of Jerusalem, the Turkish top diplomat has said.

“Jerusalem is an important symbol of the Palestine issue,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with Palestine TV over the weekend.

Fidan recalled the importance of Jerusalem for all the Muslims in the world and underlined they will never accept attempts to undermine the city’s Islamic identity by Judaizing it.

Stressing that Türkiye is closely working with Jordan on this issue, Fidan said “We are supporting Jordan’s stance on this issue. We have close and serious works with Islamic states. But unfortunately, Israel continues to take provocative steps in Jerusalem.”

On a question about ties with Palestine, the minister recalled the visit of Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to Ankara last year where he addressed the Turkish Parliament as the leader of the united Palestine.

“We’ll have new talks in the coming days. Our support to Palestine continues without stop,” he stated, adding he is planning to visit Palestine when the conditions allow.

“We’ll face even bigger wars if a lasting solution is not found [to the Palestinian problem]. We have underlined the need for a two-state solution right after the war broke out [between Israel and Hamas] so that we should never face such wars again. We must find a political solution to this problem,” Fidan said, criticizing the plans to expel Palestinians from their territories.

Fidan stressed that it is time for both Israelis and Palestinians to make a lasting agreement, saying “At a time when regional people, Islamic world, Arab world are supporting a two-state solution and ready to recognize and cooperate with Israel, this must be capitalized.”

However, the current Israeli government is in favor of expanding its territories and no one can challenge it due to the continued and unwavering support of the United States, Fidan said.

“But the people of Palestine should be hopeful. Not only the Arab and Islamic world but the whole world is supporting the Palestinians. Everyone is against this oppression. The world is united regarding the Palestine issue,” he stated.