Turkish president, Pope Francis discuss Israeli attacks on Palestinians

ANKARA

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pope Francis spoke over the phone on Monday and discussed Israel's ongoing attacks on Palestinian territories.

During their conversation, according to a Turkish Communications Directorate statement, Erdogan said an atrocity is being committed in Palestine, adding Israel's attacks are not only against Palestinians, but all Muslims, Christians and humanity.

Apart from blocking access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, restricting the freedom of worship, killing innocent civilians in the Palestinian lands, violating the human dignity, Erdogan said the occupying Israel is also endangering regional security.

Erdogan said all humanity should unite against Israel’s illegal and inhuman practices that also violate the status of Jerusalem.

Stressing that the international community should give Israel a deterrent response and lesson it deserves and take concrete steps in this direction, Erdogan said the Palestinians will continue to be massacred as long as the international community does not punish Israel, which has committed a crime against humanity.

He noted that Turkey has carried out intense diplomacy at all relevant international platforms, especially at the UN, but the UN Security Council could not display the necessary sense of responsibility.

On Israeli attacks on Palestinians, Erdogan underlined that Francis’ continued messages and reactions regarding Israeli attacks on Palestinians will help mobilize the Christian World as well as the international community.