We will never abandon Palestine: Turkish FM

BAKU - Anatolia News Agency

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoğlu (L) meets Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev as they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries in Baku. AA photo

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu reiterated June 11 Ankara’s support to Jerusalem and the Palestinian people, saying Turkey would never leave them alone.

Davutoğlu urged participant countries to make more efforts for an independent Palestinian state, in his speech at an international donor conference on Palestine in Baku organized by the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC).

He said a two-state solution between Palestine and Israel was necessary, adding that the Israeli settlements on the occupied lands hindered the peace process and should be stopped immediately.
The top diplomat said the multicultural structure of the Jerusalem should be protected. “Judaization of Jerusalem should be stopped. Turkey is making great efforts in this way, and it will continue to do so … Turkey will never leave Jerusalem and the Palestinian people alone and stands by their righteous cause,” Davutoğlu said.

Palestinians have said they would only return to negotiations if Israel stops building on land it wants for a future state and if they agree to negotiate on the basis of the pre-1967 lines. Israel demands talks “without preconditions” and refuses publicly to freeze settlement building.

‘Children have no access to education’

For his part, OIC chief Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu said the Palestinian people had the right to a decent life and it was necessary to stop the occupation of Jerusalem. He said the main objective of the conference was draw attention to the fact that tens of thousands of Palestinian children have no access to education, the public health sector in the city is in a deplorable state, and the population of the city faces problems getting medical care.