Turkey to continue to back Palestinian cause: lawmaker

ANKARA

Turkey will continue to back the Palestinian people in their efforts to establish an independent state, a senior ruling party lawmaker said Tuesday.

"Turkey stands by Palestinians and will also continue to back them in their deserving cause," Hasan Turan, the head of parliament’s Turkey-Palestine parliamentary friendship group, told reporters.

Turan said the smallest contribution to the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause is very important to them.

"We will continue to stand by the rightful Palestinian cause from now on, as it has been until today, until a sovereign, integrated and independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is established."

Former US President Donald Trump triggered an international outcry by announcing plans to move Washington’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel’s capital.

Since the move in May 2018, the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah has rejected any mediating role by the US in the Middle East peace process.

International law continues to regard East Jerusalem along with the entire West Bank as "occupied territory" and considers all Jewish settlement construction there to be illegal.