Demand for free Palestine to continue: Turkish minister

By Ayse Aktas and Ramazan Turgut

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia

A Turkish minister said Sunday that Turkey will never give up the demand for a free and independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Family and Social Policy Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya made the remarks in Saudi Arabia's capital Jeddah during an Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting for improving the status of women in member countries.

"As OIC, we will never give up our demand for a free and independent Palestine State with 1967 borders and its capital Jerusalem," she said.

She said U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was against UN resolutions and international law.

Recalling the OIC extraordinary meeting in Istanbul last week, the minister said the gathering "showed the world that Jerusalem and Palestinians are not alone".

Kaya also met on Sunday the OIC Secretary General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

They agreed to maintain efforts on improving the role of women in OIC member countries.

The meeting will continue on Monday.