Speaking to broadcaster Al-Jazeera, Fahrettin Altun, head of the Turkish Presidency's Directorate of Communications, said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan prioritizes an end to Israel’s attacks on Palestinians while noting the country’s efforts for a lasting peace.
“Türkiye, under the leadership of President Erdoğan, will exert all efforts to end the massacre in Palestine, for the establishment of a sovereign, independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital,” Altun said in his interview with Qatar-based broadcaster.
“There is no other way to ensure a lasting peace in the region,” he added.
Altun said Türkiye never shifted its stance on the Palestinian cause and was one of the leading countries raising its voice against Israel’s new attempts at occupation and genocide since Oct. 7. “Türkiye continues to expose persecution and repression of Palestinians by Israel in all international platforms,” he said.
“No matter how much (certain powers) try to distort and exploit it, they cannot defame the principled stance of Türkiye on this issue,” he said.
He was answering a question about Türkiye’s decision to halt trade with Israel and whether it had something to do with the result of the March 31 municipal elections where the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) suffered losses.
He noted how Türkiye led in humanitarian aid efforts for Palestinians and how it defended the rights of Palestinians before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), referring to a February hearing of the international court on Israel’s crimes.
He noted that they also sought to promote unity among Palestinians, reiterating how President Erdoğan brought together Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Türkiye for a coordinated response to Israel’s oppression.
Altun said his directorate also worked to confront disinformation campaigns and fake news perpetuated on social media as part of pro-Israeli propaganda. One of those fake news stories was Türkiye’s military cooperation with Israel. Altun said that they suspended the shipment of materials likely to be used for military purposes to Israel long before Oct. 7. He described the propaganda over trade with Israel as a malicious attempt to cover up crimes committed by Israel and hold Türkiye accountable instead of Israel.
He stated that Türkiye’s foreign policy revolved around two main objectives: establishing a zone of peace and security in the region and establishing friendly relations with the countries in the region based on common interests.
“International and regional developments may sometimes delay the achievement of these goals,” he added. “However, despite all difficult circumstances, Türkiye has never abandoned its goals and principles,” he said.
“The steps taken by Türkiye and the solutions it proposed always focus on ensuring stability and security, both at the regional and global levels, from reforming the United Nations to combating terrorism, and from the refugee issue to achieving stability in conflict areas.”
