Ankara Says Trump's Middle East Plan Would Steal Palestinian Land
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Protesters on Wednesday gathered to voice protest at US President Donald Trump's so-called Middle East peace plan, near the US Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.
Turkey dismissed US President Donald Trump's Middle East plan on Jan. 28 as an attempt to steal Palestinian lands and kill off prospects of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
"This plan is an annexation plan that is aimed at killing the two-state solution and stealing Palestinian lands," Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, describing Trump's proposals as "stillborn".
"This is an annexation plan aiming at usurping Palestinian lands and killing the two-state solution," the ministry said, adding that Palestinian people and lands cannot be purchased, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
Stressing that Jerusalem (al-Quds) was a red line in the eyes of Turkey, the statement said Ankara would not let Israel justify its occupation and persecution.
"We will always stand by the brotherly people of Palestine. We will continue to work for an independent Palestine within Palestinian lands."
The statement concluded that Turkey would not support any plan that is not accepted by the Palestinian authorities, adding that peace in the Middle East would not be obtained if policies based on occupation did not end.
Meanwhile, the deputy chairman of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) also criticized Trump's plan.
“No, Trump! Jerusalem (al-Quds) is the capital of the Palestinian state and the heart of the Islamic world!” Numan Kurtulmuş said in a tweet.
Turkey's parliament speaker also criticized the peace plan, saying "Jerusalem (al-Quds) is always a red line for us."
"Turkey's stance on the Palestinian issue is in line with international law and legitimacy," Mustafa Sentop said in a tweet.
"The unilateral 'Plan' announced by the POTUS [President of the United States] is an attempt far from perceiving the Palestinian issue &the status of Jerusalem (al-Quds) and is doomed to fail," Sentop noted.
On Jan. 28, Trump released his plan on the Israel-Palestine dispute in the White House where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present, whereas Palestinian authorities were not represented. During the news conference, Trump referred to Jerusalem (al-Quds) as "Israel's undivided capital".
Palestine's Hamas decried the terms of the agreement saying: "This deal doesn't worth the paper it's written on and Jerusalem (al-Quds) will remain for Palestinians."
