'Immediate, concrete steps must be taken against Israel'

ANKARA

Turkey's parliament speaker on Tuesday held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart on the issue of Palestine, repeating Turkey's position that "immediate and concrete steps" must be taken to halt Israeli attacks.

"As our president [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] said, 'immediate and concrete steps must be taken to teach occupying Israel a powerful and deterrent lesson.' The passive and contradictory attitude of the international community is a waste of time for the Palestinian people," Mustafa Sentop told Iran's Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Sentop underlined that Ankara would continue to stand firmly with Palestinians "in their struggle for freedom and justice."

"We are making all manners of diplomatic efforts for Palestine," he added.

The total number of people killed in the ongoing Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip has risen to 213, including 61 children, 36 women, and 16 elderly people, the Palestinian Health Ministry said on Tuesday. As many as 1,400 people have also been injured in the attacks.

The Israeli military has staged airstrikes since May 10, leaving behind a massive trail of destruction. Media offices and health centers are among the structures targeted.

Tensions that started in East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan spread to Gaza as a result of Israeli assaults on worshippers in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

Ghalibaf, for his part, said that the recent incidents in Palestine were "unacceptable."

"All parliaments, all Muslims should take to the scene on the Palestine issue," he said.

Over 2 billion Muslims aggrieved

In a later phone call with Burkina Faso's parliament speaker Alassane Bala Sakande, Sentop said the recent incidents in Palestine aggrieved more than 2 billion Muslims across the world.

Sentop urged his Burkinabe counterpart to mobilize the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other parliamentary unions in which he holds membership "to react immediately to this issue."

Sakande, for his part, said they valued Turkey's active role on the Palestinian issue.

"The efforts of Turkey and yourself on Palestine are very important," he added.