Turkey’s Erdogan meets Palestinian president, Hamas leader in Ankara

Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday spoke with the Palestinian president and the head of Hamas in Ankara, ahead of a crucial meeting of Palestinian factions set for the weekend.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also due to visit Turkey this week, but his visit was later postponed, after he had surgery last weekend and as Israel is roiled by protests over contentious judicial reform.
After several years of tensions, relations between Turkey and Israel have improved over the past year, with several high-level visits, including that of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog.
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Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was also at the meeting with Erdogan, which was held behind closed doors, the Turkish leader’s office said.
Erdogan on Tuesday promised to continue supporting the Palestinian cause and voiced concerns over the flare up of violence in the West Bank in recent months, after meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
“We will continue to support the Palestinian cause in the strongest way possible,” Erdogan said, alongside Abbas.
“We are deeply worried about the increasing loss of live, destruction, the expansion of illegal settlements and settlers’ violence,” the Turkish leader said.
“The only way to a just and lasting peace in the region is to defend the vision of a two-state solution.”
Israeli troops killed a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said, as the army confirmed it was conducting “counter-terrorism activity” in a Nablus refugee camp.
Erdogan also said Turkey would do its part for unity and reconciliation between the Palestinian factions.

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