A delegation from Turkey’s main opposition party is planning a solidarity visit to Gaza in time for the upcoming Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan.
The delegation of 20 will be led by Veli Ağbaba, deputy head of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), Sunday’s Zaman reports. It is trying to enter the Strip from Egypt, according to the paper.
“The CHP condemns the Israeli atrocities, and we are aware that diplomatic ties with Israel are at their lowest level. This means we will not be welcomed by the Israeli state with open arms. However, our main purpose is to end the bloodshed,” Ağbaba says.
The visit aims to “contribute to the restoration of peace,” he says. “Because of the government’s mistaken foreign policy, Turkey cannot play an active role in mediating between Israel and Palestine. Our delegation will try to mobilize global public opinion.”
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan last week said that Israel’s operation in Gaza is more “barbaric” than Hitler, bringing already strained ties between Ankara and Jerusalem to a new low.
— Raphael Ahren
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