Türkiye called for stronger international efforts to halt Israeli attacks, ensure the implementation of the Gaza cease-fire and protect Palestinian rights as Deputy Foreign Minister Musa Kulaklıkaya chaired an extraordinary meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Kulaklıkaya chaired the OIC’s 23rd Extraordinary Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers on Thursday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. The meeting focused on the Palestinian issue and the election of a new OIC secretary-general.
In his address, Kulaklıkaya highlighted the OIC’s role amid regional and global challenges and discussed ways to strengthen the organization’s contribution to regional peace, stability and prosperity.
He stressed the need to halt attacks in Gaza, fully implement the cease-fire and ensure the uninterrupted, unhindered and sustainable delivery of humanitarian assistance.
Kulaklıkaya also said securing the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and implementing a two-state solution based on international law were essential to achieving lasting peace.
He warned that Israeli violations against Palestinians and practices that Türkiye considers contrary to international law should not be allowed to become a “new status quo,” calling for stronger international efforts to ensure accountability.
The deputy minister also expressed concern over the displacement of Palestinian families and rising settler violence in the occupied West Bank. He said provocations targeting Al-Aqsa Mosque and other holy sites in Jerusalem risked fueling regional tensions and reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for preserving their historical status quo.
He also pointed to risks posed to regional stability by Israeli military actions targeting Lebanon, Syria and other countries in the region.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Kulaklıkaya held talks with Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim El Khereiji, Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel and Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, discussing bilateral ties and regional issues.
Kulaklıkaya also met newly elected OIC Secretary-General Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, Indonesian Deputy Foreign Minister Anis Matta, Senegalese Foreign Minister Cheikh Niang and Gambian Foreign Minister Sering Modou Njie.
During talks with the Palestinian foreign minister, Kulaklıkaya reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian cause and stressed the importance of maintaining diplomatic pressure on the Israeli government to fulfill its commitments and move to the second phase of the Gaza peace plan.
Moreover, as the Palestinian Foreign Ministry stated, Aghabekian discussed developments in Gaza and the West Bank, efforts to prevent further Israeli escalation and ways to strengthen diplomatic support for Palestinians.
She further held separate meetings with officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Senegal, Indonesia and Somalia, calling for intensified efforts to secure humanitarian aid, support the Palestinian government and address Israeli settlement activity.
The OIC was established at a summit held in Rabat, Morocco, on Sept. 25, 1969, in response to the burning of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem.
Under the OIC Charter, the organization’s headquarters is designated as Jerusalem, although its General Secretariat has operated from Jeddah since its establishment. Türkiye was among the OIC’s 25 founding members. Its Permanent Mission to the OIC began operating in Jeddah on July 24, 2015.
With 57 member states, the OIC is the world’s second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations and remains the only official body representing the Muslim world.
Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Thailand, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and the Central African Republic hold observer status in the organization.
Türkiye hosts the second-highest number of OIC-affiliated institutions among member states, after Saudi Arabia.
