Gaza crisis needs ‘firm treatment,’ says Erdogan

The Turkish leader refuted claims that the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack acted as the source of the crisis, highlighting the long Palestinian struggle against injustice and the expansion of Israeli territory since 1948…reports Asian Lite News

World leaders must end the crisis in Gaza by addressing the source of the problem and establishing an independent Palestinian state, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said.

“We need accurate diagnosis to come up with the right treatment. If we cannot diagnose a problem at its source, there will be no solution,” Erdogan said during an address as the guest of honor at the World Governments Summit in Dubai.

“Without an independent Palestinian state, we will never be able to find a temporary solution.” He added: “Every step taken will remain incomplete unless an independent, sovereign, and geographically integrated Palestinian state is established within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

The Turkish leader refuted claims that the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack acted as the source of the crisis, highlighting the long Palestinian struggle against injustice and the expansion of Israeli territory since 1948.

Settlements on occupied lands in contravention of UN Security Council resolutions show that “Israel deems itself above international law and for many decades now, occupation, illegal settlements and massacre policies have been sustained,” Erdogan said.

The Gaza conflict is an example of what happens when critical issues are left unresolved, he added.

“Every outstanding incident that was not settled became greater in time, more intertwined into a gridlock and resurrected over and over again. Anything we sweep under the rug remains unsettled.”

Erdogan’s comments came as Israel, despite global outcry, gears up for a ground offensive in Rafah, where some 1.4 million displaced Palestinians have crowded in hope of finding shelter. The war on Gaza has so far killed more than 28,000 Palestinians, wounded 70,000 others, and flattened the enclave into a land of debris.

The Turkish leader urged the creation of an independent Palestinian state within June 1967 borders. This would achieve regional peace, stability and economic development, Erdogan said, calling for effective global governance, solidarity and cooperation “if we want to identify a prospective future for our world.”

Governments must support the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East amid funding cuts from some European countries, he added.

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