Palestine now a state, says Turkish FM

ISTANBUL

AFP Photo

Palestine is now a state, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahemt Davutoğlu said today in his first statements since a United Nations vote that upgraded Palestine to a non-member observer state.
 
Davutoğlu said that despite the "upsetting" decision by the United States to vote against the upgrade, Turkey hoped the country "would now contribute to the peace process."
 
"Israel should question why it wasn't supported by all those countries," Davutoğlu said. "And Israel should also contribute to peace. The cruelty committed against the Palestinian people is clear."
 
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly voted late yesterday to make Palestine a non-member state, inflicting a major diplomatic defeat on the U.S. and Israel.
 
Some 138 countries in the 193-member assembly voted in favor of Palestine, 41 abstained, five did not participate, while nine – including the U.S., Israel, Canada and a few Pacific island nations – voted against the proposal.