'Palestinian cause is top Turkish priority'

<p>By Cigdem Alyanak</p> <p>ISTANBUL (AA) – Israeli government aggression has proven a challenging test for the Palestinians, and Turkey is determined to defend the Palestinian cause, said Turkey’s foreign minister on Sunday.</p> <p>&quot;In addition to Israeli attacks on the legitimate and historical rights of the Palestinian people, some other actors unilaterally and illegally aim to destabilize the region,&quot; Mevlut Cavusoglu said in Istanbul at a meeting with Palestine's ambassadors to European countries.</p> <p>Emphasizing that defending the Palestinian cause in the international arena is a top priority for Ankara, Cavusoglu offered condolences for martyred Palestinians as well as Abdulkarim al-Khatib, Palestine’s consul in Istanbul, who recently passed away.</p> <p>Protecting the historical and legal status of Jerusalem is one of Turkish foreign policy’s top priorities, he said, adding: &quot;This is a sacred cause to us. We are doing our utmost to draw the international community’s attention to the injustices in Jerusalem.&quot; </p> <p>&quot;Israel, instead of learning from previous experiences, repeats the same mistakes. While maintaining the inhumane blockade in Gaza, Israel runs a campaign that feeds on violence and aims at crippling a two-state solution,&quot; he said.</p> <p>&quot;The nation-state bill passed last year by Israel’s parliament is a fresh example reflecting this mindset. We will never allow such attempts to cast a shadow over our goal of forging a just and lasting peace through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. </p> <p>“The more Israel intensifies its illegal activities, the more we will strive for justice and peace.”</p> <p>Turkey will fight faits accomplis in Jerusalem, including unilateral moves on the status of Jerusalem, which the U.S. recognized as Israel’s capital in late 2017.</p> <p>He urged the recognition of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, with a capital in East Jerusalem, based on the pre-1967 borders.</p> <p>Cavusoglu pointed out that Ankara has provided more than $460 million to Palestine since 2005 and TIKA, Turkey’s state aid agency, has carried out some 550 projects in the country.</p> <p>He underlined that Ankara's main motive is to ensure that Palestine, with the backing of these projects, can grow a strong, independent and sustainable economy.</p> <p>On the recently stepped up U.S. sanctions on Iran, he said: &quot;We don't approve of these sanctions, we believe that cornering Iran like that is dangerous, and we will maintain our support for Iran.&quot;</p>