The leader of Hamas, Ismaïl Haniyeh, was received this Saturday, April 20 in Istanbul, Turkey, by Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Khaled Mechaal, one of the main leaders of the Palestinian movement, was also part of the delegation which spoke for two and a half hours with the head of state. This meeting came as Qatar, one of the main mediators, acknowledged that negotiations between Hamas and Israel were stalling. The Turkish president is trying to play his card.
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With our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer
Recep Tayyip Erdogan obviously wanted his meeting with the leader of Hamas to be publicized, to show his public opinion and all the actors in the conflict to Gaza that we must take into account the Türkiye. But on the content of the exchanges with Ismaël Haniyeh, on the proposals made by Ankara, the presidency press release remains evasive.
Unsurprisingly, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the one he described as “ leader of the Palestinian cause » took stock of the negotiations for a ceasefire and the difficulties in accessing humanitarian aid to Gaza. Turkey, one of the largest donors of aid to the Palestinian enclave, claims to have transported more than 45,000 tonnes so far.
“ It is vital that Palestinians act in unity in this process; the strongest response to Israel and the path to victory is through unity and integrity », declared the Turkish head of state, according to the press release from his services, published at the end of the meeting. And to emphasize “ the importance of acting to keep the focus on Gaza “.
Surprisingly, the Turkish statement does not refer to negotiations on the release of Israeli hostages from Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israelalthough it is precisely on this point that Turkish diplomacy seems most active and most able to obtain results.
As if to confirm his involvement in the search for a solution, Tayyip Erdogan immediately received the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Choukry, whose country is one of the main mediators in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Mahmoud Abbas wants to “reexamine” relations between the Palestinian Authority and Washington
After the American veto of Palestinian membership in the United Nations, the Palestinian Authority ” will review bilateral relations with the United States to ensure that the interests of our people, our cause and our rights are preserved “, President Abbas declared today in an interview with the Palestinian Wafa agency.
The Palestinians, who since 2012 have had the lower status of “non-member observer state” at the UN, asked the Security Council to accept that a “ Palestinian state » already recognized by the majority of capitals takes its place “ legitimate » within the United Nations. But Washington, after having done everything to delay the vote, ended up resorting to its right of veto, used regularly to protect its Israeli ally.
The American veto has “ sparked unprecedented anger among Palestinians and the region’s populations, potentially pushing the region towards greater instability, chaos and terrorism », Estimates Mahmoud Abbas. So the Palestinian Authority will “ develop a new strategy » to affirm one’s choices “ independently and follow a Palestinian project rather than an American vision », he adds.
“ While the world agrees on the application of international law and defends the rights of the Palestinians, the United States continues to support the occupation, refusing to force Israel to end its genocidal war » in the enclave, believes Mr. Abbas. In his eyes, the Americans have “ renounced all their commitments regarding the two-state solution and the search for peace in the region “.
Finally, he criticizes Washington “ to supply Israel with weapons and financing that kill our children and destroy our homes “.
Read alsoTürkiye: Ismaïl Haniyeh, leader of Hamas, meets President Erdogan