UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS FROM JOINT STATEMENT
By Seda Sevencan and Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye and Egypt on Wednesday called for greater international recognition of Palestinian statehood.
In a joint declaration following the first Türkiye-Egypt High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council, Ankara and Cairo reaffirmed their steadfast support for ending the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and for the Palestinian people's right to establish an independent and sovereign state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, based on the 1967 borders.
They also emphasized their commitment to protecting the right of return for all Palestinian refugees.
The statement also called for an urgent and lasting cease-fire, the release of hostages and detainees, and an uninterrupted and unimpeded flow of humanitarian and medical aid to Gaza and the entire Gaza Strip, in the face of Israel's “flagrant” violations of International Law and International Humanitarian Law, including the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza for over the past 11 months.
The two countries expressed their readiness to further strengthen coordination and cooperation between Ankara and Cairo to support efforts addressing the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
The statement further said that they call for strong solidarity in the reconstruction of Gaza and urgently establish peace in the region to prevent further escalation of tensions.
They expressed deep concern about Israel's illegal practices in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and condemned Israel's illegal settlement activities, the provocative and inflammatory rhetoric of illegal settlers, and Israel's military attacks on Palestinian cities.
Both countries called on the international community to strengthen the Palestinian National Authority in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities toward the Palestinian people in the West Bank, including Gaza and East Jerusalem, and to support efforts to counter and eliminate Israel's restrictions, illegal policies, and practices.
The declaration stressed the importance of supporting Iraq's sovereignty and stability, highlighting Turkish and Egyptian support for Iraq's development and reconstruction efforts.
It said that the two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting a political process led and owned by Libyans under the facilitation of the UN, aimed at preserving Libya's security, stability, territorial integrity, and political unity.
Türkiye and Egypt reaffirmed the importance of achieving peace, security and stability in the Horn of Africa.
The two nations also advocated fostering neighborly and friendly relations, and respect for each country's territorial integrity and sovereignty in the Horn of Africa.
Voicing concern over the ongoing conflict in Sudan which has been causing a devastating humanitarian crisis across the country and region, Türkiye and Egypt welcome efforts to resolve the crisis peacefully and support joint diplomatic initiatives in this regard, the declaration said.
Reiterating their joint commitment to finding a lasting and comprehensive solution to the conflict in Syria, the two countries underlined the importance of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
The joint declaration underlined the significance of fighting against all forms and manifestations of terrorism.
Stressing the importance of humanitarian aid and early development projects for the Syrian people, the statement called on the global community to continue these efforts at a “satisfactory level.”