Turkish FM presents an action plan to OIC for Palestinian issue


As Turkey and Qatar continue to cooperate to ensure a permanent solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu offered a 7-point plan on behalf of Turkey for the Palestinian cause at the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meeting that was organized through Turkey's initiative in Saudi Arabia. Continuing to take action for the people of Gaza, Turkey drew a roadmap, including seven articles to rebuild the Gaza Strip, create an environment that will allow the establishment of a permanent cease-fire and deliver immediate humanitarian aid to the Gazan people, according to Davutoglu.Davutoğlu stated that the first point in the roadmap is to intensify humanitarian aid by the Islamic world to Gaza, and he also touched on Turkey's initiatives and activities regarding humanitarian aid, such as bringing injured Gazan people to Turkey, and electricity and water issues. The second point is to ensure a permanent ceasefire that also includes lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Davutoğlu noted that the international community should increase the pressure on Israel on this issue.Highlighting that the infrastructure of Gaza has been severely damaged, the Turkish foreign minister stated that organizing a plan to rebuild Gaza together with the international community is the third point on the agenda.As the fourth step, Davutoğlu announced that the OIC should take an initiative with the U.N. Human Rights Council to probe into crimes against humanity committed in Gaza and also called on the OIC to closely follow the probe as well as contribute to it. Davutoğlu stated that supporting the Palestinian unity government is the fifth point of the plan. Also, the foreign minister noted that he discussed the support of the Palestinian unity government in detail with Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah during their talks. The sixth point is to launch an extensive campaign to register the Palestine government in all international forums and recognize Palestine as the Palestine state, not as the Palestine administration or Palestine authority, according to the foreign minister. The last point is to ensure the continuation of OIC diplomatic work to establish a free Palestinian state.Davutoğlu stated that Turkey offered the roadmap, including the seven articles, to ensure a permanent ceasefire, to stop Israeli attacks on Gaza, to rebuild the Gaza Strip, to support the Palestine unity government and to recognize Palestine as a state. Highlighting that Turkey launched a significant and extensive initiative when the Israeli attacks on Gaza intensified, Davutoğlu echoed his sentiments that Turkey called the U.N.Security Council, the U.N. Human Rights Council and the OIC Expanded Executive Meeting for an emergency forum.The foreign minister also noted that he touched on the coordination of aid during his talks with Palestine's prime minister. "The Turkish Red Crescent, the Turkish Presidency of Emergency and Disaster (AFAD), the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) and the Turkish Health Ministry are in Gaza now." Noting that humanitarian aid to Gaza has exceeded $200 million (TL 432.58 million) in total, Davutoğlu added that Turkey is preparing for a more intensified humanitarian aid campaign for the upcoming term.Regarding his bilateral talks, Davutoğlu said that he and Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah touched on the latest developments in Iraq, where he and Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyya talked about a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine. Davutoğlu added that he met with Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Saud bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Saud. Davutoğlu also met with Palestinian Prime Minister al-Hamdallah.