Turkish parliament speaker praises Palestinian unity efforts
Kurtulmus hails increasing support for Palestine, condemns Israel’s indiscriminate attacks
ANKARA
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus expressed satisfaction over progress in unity discussions among Palestinian groups during a meeting Wednesday with Rawhi Fattuh, head of the Palestinian National Council, in Ankara.
“It is highly gratifying for us that positive approaches in the unity discussions among Palestinian groups are on the rise,” Kurtulmus said, emphasizing the importance of unity against what he described as indiscriminate violence by Israel.
“The Zionist regime kills indiscriminately, making no distinction between Palestinians. Regardless of which group they belong to, it sees all Palestinians as its enemies, not even considering them human,” he added.
"While the enemy does not see us differently, why should we view each other differently?" Kurtulmus asked.
He also noted the increasing international recognition of Palestinian statehood, with 149 countries officially recognizing Palestine, and expressed hope that many of these nations would open embassies in Palestine, further strengthening support.
“We see that there is a growing global public opinion in favor of Palestine,” Kurtulmus said, warning that the Israeli government would likely intensify its aggression in an attempt to counter this momentum.
Rawhi Fattuh thanked Türkiye and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their “courageous stance” during the difficult times faced by Palestinians, highlighting the material and moral support provided by the Turkish public, politicians, and institutions.
The meeting also included Turkish lawmaker Hasan Turan, head of the Türkiye-Palestine Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group, and Faed Mustafa, Palestine’s ambassador in Ankara.
Israel has continued a brutal offensive on Gaza following a cross-border attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7 last year, despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire.
More than 42,400 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 99,100 injured, according to local health authorities.
The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the Gaza Strip amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.
On Oct. 1, despite international warnings that the Middle East was on the brink of a regional war amid Israel’s relentless attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, Tel Aviv expanded the conflict by launching a ground incursion into southern Lebanon. Israel's deadly strikes across the country have killed more than 1,500 people and injured over 4,500 others since Sept. 23.
