UPDATE - 'Steps taken with Israel will not diminish Türkiye's support for Palestine'

ADDS MORE QUOTES FROM TURKISH AND PALESTINIAN PRESIDENTS

By Diyar Guldogan and Mahmoud Barakat

ANKARA (AA) - Recent steps to normalize Türkiye's ties with Israel will not weaken the country's support for Palestine, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed on Tuesday.

"The steps taken in our relations with Israel will in no way diminish our support for the Palestinian cause," Erdogan told a joint news conference in the capital Ankara with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas’ three-day visit comes as Türkiye and Israel take steps to normalize ties, including last week’s decision to restore full diplomatic relations and reappoint ambassadors and consuls general after a four-year hiatus.

Erdogan said Türkiye continues its longstanding solidarity with Palestine in the "strongest way."

"Türkiye, which has recognized the Palestinian state from the moment it was proclaimed, defends the vision of a two-state solution on every platform," he added.

Ankara rejects any actions aimed at changing the status of Jerusalem or its Al-Aqsa Mosque, said Erdogan, adding: "We conveyed this to our Israeli counterparts."

Palestine supports Türkiye’s efforts to normalize relations, he said, as Türkiye’s dialogue with Israel will give it a better chance to defend the Palestinian cause.

"Palestine always has a special place in Türkiye's heart," he said, adding that Ankara aims to further strengthen ties with Palestine, and wants its welfare and development.

"I once again underline that the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on the basis of the 1967 borders and the UN parameters is essential for the peace and stability of our entire region," Erdogan said.

For his part, Abbas hailed Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian people.

“I would like to express my sincere thanks to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for standing by the Palestinian people and for his unwavering stance,” the Palestinian president said.

He stressed on adhering to “peaceful popular resistance” and rejecting “violence and terrorism.”

“We seek full membership in the United Nations and demand that countries that believe in the two-state solution recognize the State of Palestine.”

He also lauded Türkiye for its role in helping Palestine become an observer state in the UN.

“A few years ago, we obtained an observer status in the United Nations, and the first credit for that goes to Türkiye,” Abbas added.