Turkey's Erdogan: No one can take Palestine's lands

The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is red line for Muslims worldwide, says Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Eid holiday message
President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the completion ceremony of Canakkale 1915 Bridge's 318 meter two towers via video conferencing in Istanbul, Turkey on May 16, 2020 [Mustafa Kamacı / Anadolu Agency]

May 25, 2020 

Turkey’s president on Sunday reiterated his country’s support for Palestine as the Muslim world celebrates Eid al-Fitr, the holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

“We will not allow the Palestinian lands to be offered to anyone else,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video message on Twitter addressed to US Muslims.

“I would like to reiterate that al-Quds Al-Sharif, the holy site of three religions and our first kiblah, is a red line for all Muslims worldwide,” Erdogan said, referring to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, also known by Jews as the Temple Mount, and home to the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Turkish President added:

It is clear that the global order has long failed to produce justice, peace, serenity, and order.

President @RTErdogan’s message for U.S. Muslims on Eid al-Fitr:

“I congratulate my American Muslim brothers and sisters’ Eid al-Fitr on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Turkey.” pic.twitter.com/WvwGq53P79

— Turkish Presidency (@trpresidency) May 24, 2020

“Last week we witnessed that a new occupation and annexation project, which disregards Palestine’s sovereignty and international law, was put into action by Israel,” he added.

Israel has said it will annex parts of the West Bank on July 1, as agreed to between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, the head of the Blue and White party.

The plan has drawn outrage worldwide, and especially sharp condemnation in Turkey.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is seen as occupied territory under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there – as well as the planned annexation – illegal.