28 June 2018•Update: 29 June 2018
By Qais Abu Samra and Laith al-Junaidi
RAMALLAH/AMMAN
A Palestinian leader on Thursday denied Israeli claims that Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Palestinian leadership had asked Tel Aviv to “play down” Turkish activities in Jerusalem.
Ahmed Majdalani, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), accused the Israeli government of trying to spoil Palestinian-Turkish relations by “promoting lies through its media”.
“This is a cheap attempt to spoil our relations with Turkey,” Majdalani told Anadolu Agency.
He went on to express “the appreciation of the Palestinian people and leadership for Turkey’s support for the Palestinian cause and the city of Jerusalem”.
According to Majdalani, there is “close coordination at the highest levels between Palestine and Turkey, who have continued to work together -- in regional and international forums -- to support the Palestinian national cause”.
Earlier Thursday, Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority had contacted Israel last year to voice their concern over “expanding Turkish activities in East Jerusalem”.
The newspaper went on to assert that three governments had warned Israel that Turkish activities in East Jerusalem threatened Israeli interests.
A Jordanian senior official source on Thursday denied Israeli media allegations that Amman warned Tel Aviv against a growing Turkish role in Jerusalem.
The source, which spoke to Anadolu Agency anonymously due to restrictions to speak to media, said “the news is not true”.
