UPDATE - Turkish President Erdogan urges countries to recognize Palestinian state

UPDATE WITH MORE REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ERDOGAN, BACKGROUND

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday urged more countries to recognize the state of Palestine.

"The struggle for freedom, for which Palestinians have paid heavy prices, must be supported by all of humanity on the basis of law and diplomacy," Erdogan said at a news conference after receiving Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Stating that the meeting with Kobakhidze also focused on current regional and global issues, Erdogan said that they shared their assessments of the atrocities in Gaza and the responsibilities of the international community.

Noting that the decision taken by the UN General Assembly on May 10 demonstrated the stance of the international community, Erdogan said that he finds the ongoing support actions for Palestine around the world very meaningful and valuable in terms of human conscience.

The Israeli army expanded its military operation in Jabalia on Wednesday as part of its ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Israel continued its brutal onslaught on the Palestinian enclave despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the battered territory.

More than 35,200 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and over 79,200 others injured since last October following a Hamas attack.

More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel stands accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

- Bilateral ties between 2 nations

Emphasizing the strong bond between two “friendly, neighboring, and strategic partner” countries, Erdogan stated that they had fruitful discussions with Kobakhidze.

Erdogan reiterated Ankara’s strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability, and prosperity of Georgia, adding: “I expressed that our support for Georgia's integration efforts with European Atlantic institutions will continue."

Stating that bilateral trade volume between the two nations reached $3 billion, Erdogan said that the new target is over $5 billion.

He also underlined that Türkiye continues to work to fully "reactivate" the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, which he called the Middle Corridor's backbone.

Erdogan said he and Kobakhidze focused on steps to enhance the two countries' "effectiveness" in fighting terror groups and organized crime, particularly the PKK and Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

Erdogan reiterated his determination to fight against “illegitimate entities” that threaten the “peace and even the lives of our citizens, both domestically and internationally.”

“The breath of our state will continue to be on the necks of members of terrorist and criminal organizations,” he added.

Referring to a shooting on Wednesday that targeted Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Erdogan vowed to "continue to stand against any action that threatens peace, stability, and security in our region."

In its nearly 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the US, and EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people, including women, children, and infants.

FETO and its US-based leader Fethullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 wounded in Türkiye.