Turkey trying to crank up global pressure on Israel, Erdogan tells Abbas

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s office says he told visiting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Turkey will continue to support the Palestinian cause and push the international community to increase pressure on Israel.

The two leaders discussed recent developments and the steps to be taken for a lasting ceasefire and peace in Gaza, Erdogan’s office says in a post on X.

Erdogan condemned Israel’s war in Gaza, the statement says, accusing some Western countries of remaining silent on what he termed massacres in Gaza, which the president deemed “unacceptable,” his office says.

Erdogan also told Abbas that all countries, especially in the Muslim world, should step up efforts to ensure an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.

Abbas is set to address an extraordinary session of Turkey’s parliament on Thursday, which Erdogan compares to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the US Congress on July 25.

“We will show that Mr. Abbas has the right to speak in our parliament just as Netanyahu has the right to speak in the US Congress,” Erdogan told members of his ruling AK Party before meeting Abbas.

He said Turkey had also planned to invite Hamas head Ismail Haniyeh, before the terror leader was assassinated in Tehran.