MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd March, 2019) Ankara's foreign policy prioritizes the preservation of Jerusalem's historical and legal status, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Sunday.
"The preservation of the historical and legal status of Jerusalem is one of the priorities of our foreign policy. This is sacred to us," Cavusoglu said during a meeting with Palestinian ambassadors to European states, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.
He noted that the situation in the region was being destabilized by some external actors.
"In addition to Israeli attacks on the legitimate and historical rights of the Palestinian people, some other actors unilaterally and illegally aim to destabilize the region ... We are doing our utmost to draw the international community's attention to the injustices in Jerusalem," the minister said.
For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.
Tensions between Turkey and Israel escalated last May when at least 59 Palestinian protesters were killed by Israeli troops during a protest at the Gaza-Israel border against the United States moving its embassy to Jerusalem and officially recognizing the city as the capital of the State of Israel. As a result, Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv and Israel reciprocated by recalling its ambassador from Turkey.
