Erdoğan and Abbas reaffirm support for Palestinian statehood

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas held a joint press conference in Ankara to reaffirm support for Palestinian independence and a two-state solution. Erdoğan emphasized Turkey’s commitment to defending the Palestinian cause on all international platforms, advocating for an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Erdoğan criticized the Israeli government’s policies in the West Bank and Jerusalem, describing them as a systematic strategy to render the Palestinian administration ineffective. He cited data indicating that approximately 3,800 Palestinians were displaced and 100 were killed in 2026 due to settler attacks and demolitions. He also voiced strong opposition to any attempts to alter the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites.

President Abbas expressed gratitude for Turkey’s steadfast support. He highlighted the necessity of a ceasefire in Gaza, asserting that “a state cannot exist without Gaza.” Abbas also noted the economic difficulties facing the Palestinian administration, including the seizure of approximately $6.5 billion in funds by Israel, which has impacted civil servant salaries and public expenditures.