According to reports, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Saturday to discuss bilateral ties, reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The closed-door meeting took place in Istanbul at the Vahdatin Pavilion, an official residence assigned to the President of Turkey. There, the two leaders discussed regional development and steps to strengthen bilateral ties, Turkey’s communications directorate said, according to Anadolu news agency.
“As long as Israel’s policies continue, it will not be possible to establish lasting peace and stability in the region,” Erdogan said on Saturday, according to the news agency.
The Turkish president, a vocal critic of Israel, said Ankara would not remain silent against what he described as “Israeli oppression” of Palestinians, Anadolu reported.
Erdogan also expressed satisfaction at the positive course of bilateral relations with the Palestinian Authority, the report said.
The meeting between Abbas and Erdogan lasted just over an hour, during which the two discussed the humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as efforts to bring about reconciliation between various Palestinian factions, the Ynet. News site reported.
“As long as Israeli policies continue, it will not be possible to establish lasting peace and stability in the region,” Turkish President Erdogan said during his meeting with his Palestinian counterpart Abbas in Istanbul. https://t.co/5F7PQEA2Iu pic.twitter.com/9x3QzPblXJ
— anadolu agency (@anadoluagency) 10 July 2021
Rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, have previously met in Istanbul for talks aimed at ending a 16-year rift in Palestinian politics.
Erdogan has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian issues during his 18-year rule. He has accused Israel of “terrorism” against Palestinians and has recently said, “It is in their nature.”