Six parties in Turkish Parliament unite in call for Palestinian state with Jerusalem as capital

Duvar English

The general assembly of the Turkish Parliament Oct. 12 met in closed session for a general debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

During the session, which was closed to all but lawmaker and staff under sworn, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan briefed MPs on the recent escalation of violence.

During the closed session, the Turkish Parliament issued a joint statement on the conflicts in Palestine and Israel with the signatures of the six political parties from ruling and opposition alliances.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), nationalist opposition Good (İYİ) Party, pro-Kurdish Green Left Party (YSP), and Islamist Felicity Party (SP) called for urgent peace talks between Israel and Palestine. 

The political parties stated that the Palestinian people were under a “new and unprecedented siege" and that the bombing of civilian settlements by Israel was a violation of the international law.  

The parties emphasized that they were in favor of the two-state solution and that the only solution to end the conflict was "the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital."

"The heavy civilian casualties in the conflicts in Palestine and Israel, the targeting of civilian infrastructure and the inability of civilians to meet even their most basic needs hurt our conscience. The potential for the crisis to spread to other places seriously threatens regional security and stability,” the parties said.

The lawmakers underscored, “The interruption of food, energy and humanitarian aid to Gaza, which is home to two million people and has already turned into an open-air prison after 16 years of blockade, and the indiscriminate bombing of civilian settlements is a grave violation of international law. Creating a hierarchy among civilians is another manifestation of racism and discrimination.” 

The MPs also called urgent action from United Nations Security Council and other international organizations to step up for the establishment of two states. 

On the morning of Oct. 7, al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, launched a comprehensive attack on Israel. Israeli officials reported that 1,300 Israelis were killed in the attacks.

The number of Palestinians who lost their lives in Israel's attacks on the areas mostly populated by civilians in Gaza increased to at least 1,417. Gaza has been under complete blockade since the Israeli attacks, leaving two million Gazans without access to basic necessities including food, electricity, and water.