ISTANBUL (AA): Turkey will never allow the peace in the region to bedisrupted by the U.S.’ so-called “Deal of Century” Mideast peace plan, saidTurkey’s president on Sunday.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks came in a statement he sent to the current3rd Conference of the Inter-parliamentary Jerusalem Platform in Malaysia’scapital, Kuala Lumpur.
In his message to the platform, Erdogan underlined the meaning and theimportance of such a conference in this critical period and added that “theso-called ‘Deal of Century’ [which] declares Jerusalem the capital ofIsrael is nothing more than a dream that threatens peace in the region. Wewill not allow this dream to come true.
“We do not recognize this plan, which means annexation of Palestinianlands, completely destroys Palestine, and completely seizes Jerusalem. Wenever accept this attempt, which accepts a two-state solution on thesurface but actually means legitimizing the Israeli occupation under themandate of the American administration.”
U.S. President Donald Trump’s so-called “deal of the century” was announcedon Jan. 28. It refers to Jerusalem as “Israel’s undivided capital” andrecognizes Israeli sovereignty over large parts of the West Bank.
*Jerusalem red line*
The plan has drawn widespread criticism from the Arab world and wasrejected by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, which urged “allmember states not to engage with this plan or to cooperate with the U.S.administration in implementing it in any form.”
Leaders of the Muslim bloc reiterated a need for a just and comprehensivesolution that protects the rights of Palestinians.
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Erdogan said Israel has unfairly and unlawfully reached its present borderswhile Palestine has been facing occupation, destruction, and suffering foryears.
He said Turkey “will never remain silent on the annexation of Jerusalem orforsake its fellow Palestinian brothers in this fight.”
“I would like to stress once again that Jerusalem is our red line. AsMuslim countries, our most important responsibility in this process is toprotect Al-Aqsa Mosque, embrace the peace symbol Jerusalem, and defend therights of Palestinians,” Erdogan said.
“The policy pursued by some Islamic countries against this step, which isthe beginning of a process that will affect the entire world, especiallythe Middle East, has created a sad picture.”
Erdogan has previously criticized some Islamic countries for sendingrepresentatives to the White House launch of the plan.
