Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu told his Israeli counterpart that Türkiye condemns Israeli security forces’ provocations and airstrikes against Lebanon and Gaza as they spoke over the phone on Friday, the Foreign Ministry said.
Çavuşoğlu told Eli Cohen that it was also unacceptable that Israeli security forces use violence against Palestinians worshipping during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. He also emphasized that Israeli forces have no excuse to resort to violence and that these acts, including airstrikes, should not repeat.
Meanwhile, Çavuşoğlu also spoke with his Palestinian counterpart and assured him that Türkiye will continue to stand by Palestine.
Noting that Türkiye always prioritizes the protection, sanctity and status of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Çavuşoğlu said Ankara is ready to do whatever is necessary to de-escalate tensions.
For his part, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Maliki thanked Çavuşoğlu for Türkiye’s supportive stance on Palestine.
Despite the recent rapprochement, Turkish officials continue to criticize Israel’s policies targeting Palestinians, including illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Türkiye has said there would be no change in Ankara’s position toward the Palestinians despite the normalization efforts with Israel.
The Israeli army launched air attacks on Gaza and southern Lebanon early on Friday. The escalation follows Israeli forces' storming of the Al-Qibli Prayer Hall in the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem and forcibly removing Palestinian worshippers for two nights in a row.
