Turkish president proposes peace conference to end Palestine-Israel conflict

By Muhammed Enes Calli

ISTANBUL (AA) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday proposed an international peace conference to end the Palestine-Israel conflict.

The international conference, with the participation of all relevant parties, would be the most suitable platform for peace, Erdogan told the press after a Cabinet meeting in Ankara.

He explained that in order to prevent the ongoing massacre in Gaza, which is under heavy Israeli bombardment since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, a cease-fire should be declared first, followed by a path to lasting peace.

Türkiye has already put forth a proposal for guarantor system in the Israeli-Palestinian issue to end violence and reach a two-state solution.

Erdogan said Israel, with the support of US and Europe, is committing crimes against humanity in Gaza for the past 25 days.

"We believe that Israel, which seems to have lost its raison d'etat, is acting like an organization, and must be stopped as soon as possible," he said. "Our discussions are ongoing to ensure that perpetrators of the war crimes in Gaza are held accountable."

Criticizing the international community's approach to Israel-Palestine conflict, Erdogan said the EU could not even call for a cease-fire, let alone condemn Israel.​​​​​​​

"International media organizations, even though over 34 of their colleagues have been killed in Gaza, can't utter a single critical sentence," he said, referring to the killings of journalists covering the conflict.

"The UN Security Council is merely watching as UN organizations and personnel in Gaza are targeted," Erdogan said. "Those who are bystanders to deaths of thousands of Gazan children today will have no credibility for anything they might say on any topic tomorrow."

Erdogan said Türkiye is helping the Palestinians, and has so far sent 213 tons of humanitarian aid supplies.