Turkey’s foreign minister lashed out on Friday at Israel’s recent attacks on Palestinians and the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, vowing to support Palestine and its cause.
“We are unhappy but also outraged as we are sad about Israel’s attacks,” Mevlut Cavusoglu said during an iftar ceremony in the central province of Eskisehir during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Cavusoglu described the attacks as “reckless,” emphasizing that such acts were against humanity and conscience.
He said that Turkey reacted “vigorously” to the attacks, citing a phone contact with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen.
Cavusoglu also stated that Turkey has requested an exceptional meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the issue, and that ministers from member countries will meet soon.
“From here, we call on Islamic countries.” Let us be more committed to stop these attacks on our brothers and sisters in Palestine,” he continued.
According to witnesses, Israeli police apprehended 350 Palestinians from the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex on Wednesday, and they used excessive force, including tear gas.
During the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Israel conquered East Jerusalem. In 1980, it annexed the entire city, a move that was never acknowledged by the international world.
On the Ukraine conflict, Cavusoglu stated that the world has placed its trust in Turkey to “stop this war permanently as soon as feasible.”
He stated that there will be no winners in the ground battle and that Turkey would make every effort to end the violence.
Türkiye, which has been widely praised for its stance as a mediator between Ukraine and Russia, has consistently urged Kyiv and Moscow to settle the year-long conflict through discussions.