Necva Tastan
25 January 2024•Update: 25 January 2024
ISTANBUL
Türkiye's Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Thursday urged the international community to take collective efforts to halt the ongoing violence in Gaza and the West Bank.
“As the Head of the Foreign Relations Department of AK Party, we call on the international community to make every effort possible to help end the ongoing bloodshed in Gaza and the West Bank, and achieve a just and lasting peaceful settlement between Israel and Palestine,” Zafer Sirakaya said in a statement released by the party.
“We reject any attack on the elderly, women, or children, regardless of who perpetrates it or for whatever reason,” Sirakaya said.
He also highlighted the unprecedented humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
The AK Party underscored the alarming number of children losing limbs, condemning the actions as a violation of human rights.
Decrying how the UN Security Council "has failed to intervene," the AK Party welcomed South Africa’s recent case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, saying “it will be highly important to act upon the implementation of its ruling including the provisional measures, if the ICJ so decides.”
Sirakaya also mentioned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's active engagement in crisis resolution efforts.
Stressing the urgent need to bring “stability,” he called for the resolution of the Palestinian issue based on international law, advocating a two-state solution.
The party stressed the need to address the root cause of the conflict, namely the Israeli occupation, and called for an independent, sovereign State of Palestine based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, he added.
With nearly 90% of Gaza's population forcibly displaced, Sirakaya said: "We need to address the issue of occupation because some Israeli authorities are already calling for expulsion of all Palestinians from their land.”
“Israeli politicians used two incompatible terms: ‘Voluntary displacement.’ Forced displacements are unacceptable and constitute a breach of international humanitarian law," he added.
The party also expressed readiness to collaborate for peace and alleviate further suffering in the region.
