Erdogan urges Israel to end occupation attempts of Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged on Monday the Israeli government to end its "occupation attempts" of Palestine that threaten the possibility of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Speaking at a joint press conference in Ankara after talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Erdogan said that "establishing an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem along the lines of 1967 is crucial for stability in the region," Xinhua reported.

"As we witnessed during the events, rising tension is no good for either side, and a peaceful resolution to the crisis would also benefit the Israelis," he said.

He described the two-state solution as the "historical responsibility of the international community to the Palestinian people."

He also vowed that Ankara would continue its efforts in the recognition of Palestine in all international platforms.

Last month, Jerusalem saw renewed violence between Palestinians and Israeli security forces after Israel imposed new security measures at the Al-Aqsa Mosque following two policemen's death near the holy site.

--IANS

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