Türkiye warmly welcomes Abbas after restoring Israel ties
Türkiye said that its restoration of full diplomatic relations with Israel did not mean a shift in Middle Eastern allegiances as it warmly welcomed Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
The Palestinian leader met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks and a private dinner on his second visit to Türkiye in a year.
The talks came just a week after Türkiye and Israel sealed a rapprochement from a decade of rocky relations by announcing plans to reappoint ambassadors for the first time in four years.
Erdogan has been a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause who has branded Israel a "terrorist state".
"The steps taken in our relations with Israel will in no way diminish our support for the Palestinian cause," Erdogan later told a joint media event.
"Türkiye defends its vision of a two-state solution on every platform, and we have clearly demonstrated our response to the Israeli attacks and civilian casualties."
Abbas did not mention Turkish-Israeli relations in his comments but thanked Erdogan for his past support.
"I would like to thank you for the close attention and hospitality you have shown us," Abbas told Erdogan.
"I would like to reiterate my gratitude for the fact that Türkiye and the Turkish government are on the side of Palestine."
Abbas's visit is widely seen as an attempt by Türkiye to show that it stood by old allies even as it repaired relations with more recent rivals.
Türkiye has gradually mended fences across the volatile region.
