Ali Murat Alhas
28 January 2020•Update: 29 January 2020
ANKARA
Turkey on Tuesday slammed the U.S. Mideast peace plan, saying the people and land of Palestine were not for sale.
In an official statement, which came following U.S. President Donald Trump’s press conference in the White House, where he shared details of the so-called "deal of the century", the ministry said the agreement was “stillborn”.
"This is an annexation plan aiming at usurping Palestinian lands and killing two-state solution," the ministry said, adding that Palestinian people and lands cannot be purchased.
Stressing that Jerusalem was a red line in the eyes of Turkey, the statement said Ankara would not let Israel justify its occupation and persecution.
"We will always stand by the brotherly people of Palestine. We will continue to work for an independent Palestine within Palestinian lands."
The statement concluded that Turkey would not support any plan that is not accepted by the Palestinian authorities, adding that peace in the Middle East would not be obtained if policies based on occupation did not end.
On Tuesday, Trump released his oft-delayed plan to end the Israel-Palestine dispute in the White House where Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was present, whereas Palestinian authorities were not represented. During the news conference, Trump referred to Jerusalem as "Israel's undivided capital".
Palestine's Hamas decried the terms of the agreement saying: "This deal doesn't worth the paper it's written on and Jerusalem will remain for Palestinians."
