Palestinian President Abbas’s visit to Ankara: What can Türkiye do to help Palestine?

Mahmoud Abbas’s visit to Türkiye amidst intensified efforts for a Gaza ceasefire underscores Türkiye’s role in advocating for humanitarian aid and peace in the region

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is making his first visit to Türkiye after the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host Abbas at the Bestepe Presidential Complex. The discussions, taking place during a period of intensified efforts to achieve a ceasefire before the month of Ramadan, are expected to also address Türkiye’s proposal for uninterrupted and increased humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Abbas, who last visited Türkiye in July 2023, will be traveling to Ankara upon President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s invitation.

The first announcement of the visit came from Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki, who was attending the Antalya Diplomacy Forum. Maliki stated during a press conference over the weekend that President Erdogan and Abbas have been in constant communication and will have the opportunity for face-to-face talks in Ankara.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also confirmed Abbas’s visit during the closing press conference of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum on March 3. He mentioned that the discussions will involve the course of the Israel-Hamas war.

Türkiye aims for cease-fire

Minister Fidan noted that there is a general understanding onof the cease-fire issue and that an agreement is close at hand. He emphasized that the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza should be the main focus of attention.

Fidan mentioned that there are countries that believe the international community should depart from established practices and take unilateral steps regarding aid to Gaza. “We also now support these views because delivering aid to Gaza by waiting for someone’s permission means becoming complicit in the slow and silent death of more than 2 million people,” he said.

Humanitarian aid should be approved by Israel

According to the long-standing practice between Israel and Egypt, humanitarian aid trucks using the Rafah Border Crossing in Egypt cross into Israel and are then inspected at the Kerem Shalom Border Crossing before being sent to Gaza. Practices such as the time-consuming inspection process and the return of humanitarian aid items not approved by Israel cause interruptions in reaching basic needs such as food and medicine to the Palestinian people.

Among the countries increasing humanitarian aid to Palestine, Türkiye has been advocating for a change in the practice, stating that Israel’s approval should no longer be required. In recent months, Türkiye has made this call in discussions with Egypt and other prominent Arab countries.

It is known that President Erdogan discussed the issue with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during his visit to Cairo last month. Initially, the Egyptian administration was reportedly hesitant about the proposal, but it is noted that they have softened their stance following Israel’s attacks and the worsening humanitarian situation.

However, Egypt has not yet reached a point of initiating a “unilateral” process regarding humanitarian aid, especially during a period of intensified ceasefire negotiations. It is evaluated that Egypt is not considering such a step at this time.

Antalya Diplomacy Forum enabled discussions

Foreign Minister Fidan also participated in a panel specifically addressing the situation in Gaza, alongside Palestinian Foreign Minister Maliki and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. However, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, both members of the Contact Group, did not attend the Antalya Diplomacy Forum at the level of foreign ministers.

During the closing press conference of the forum, Fidan mentioned that the discussions focused on the emerging consensus against the injustice and imbalance in the global system. He stated, “The double standards and disregard for international law by some international actors in different issues were exposed by the panelists during the forum.”

Source: Newsroom