Turkey offers to help with Palestinian elections

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkey’s foreign minister reiterated support for Palestinian reconciliation and said Wednesday that Ankara is ready to help with elections there during a video call with his counterpart.

“Held VTC meeting w/FM Riad Malki of #Palestine. Supporting Palestinian reconciliation&ready to assist in elections,” Mevlut Cavusoglu wrote on Twitter. “Will always stand by our Palestinian brothers&sisters.”

In September, longtime Palestinian rival groups, Fatah and Hamas, agreed to "soon" hold elections during talks in Turkey.

“It was agreed to hold legislative elections, followed by presidential elections, then elections for the National Council,” Fatah's Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad told Anadolu Agency in an exclusive interview, referring to the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Hamas has been bitter rivals with Fatah since 2007 when it wrested the Gaza Strip from Fatah after days of fighting.

The UAE and Bahrain recently signed controversial agreements to establish diplomatic relations with Israel, amid strong condemnations from Palestinian factions, who called the pacts a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.