Turkish president urges for international force to protect Palestinians

By Mumin Altas

ANKARA (AA) – An idea of an international force to protect Palestinian civilians from Israeli aggression should be worked on, according to the Turkish president on Wednesday.

Turkey’s Communications Directorate said in a statement that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin held a phone conversation.

During the talk, they discussed the latest developments in Palestine as well as the shipment of the Sputnik V vaccine to Turkey.

Calling on the international community to give Israel a "strong and deterrent" lesson, Erdogan said Turkey has voiced its reaction against the Israeli attacks on Jerusalem, Gaza, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Palestinians in the strongest way.

The Turkish president welcomed the Russian Foreign Ministry's statement on UN parameters and a two-state solution in Palestine, and said it constitutes an important message to show that Ankara and Moscow share the same stance regarding the developments in Jerusalem.

He urged the UN Security Council to get involved in the issue and give a determined and clear message to Israel to halt its attacks on Palestinians before the crisis grows further.

Erdogan said he believed Turkey and Russia will display close cooperation in those topics in the UN.

Russia's Putin, for his part, congratulated the Turkish nation on the Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday following the holy month of Ramadan.

At least 43 Palestinians have been killed and 296 others injured in Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip amid tension across the Palestinian territories after Israeli police stormed the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the occupied East Jerusalem and assaulted worshippers.

Five Israelis have also been killed and 45 others injured in Palestinian rocket fire.

Tensions have been running high since last week after an Israeli court ordered the evictions of Palestinian families in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem.

* Writing by Sena Guler