Turkish FM talks to Palestinian counterpart over phone

On the heels of Israeli forces killing over a dozen Palestinians, Turkey’s foreign minister on Saturday spoke on the phone with his Palestinian counterpart, according to diplomatic sources and Palestine’s official news agency.

The sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media, gave no details of the conversation between Turkey’s Mevlut Cavusoglu and Riyad al-Maliki.

Palestinian official news agency WAFA reported that Cavusoglu offered Turkey's condolences for the Palestinians martyred by Israel on Friday.

Cavusoglu also told al-Maliki of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urging his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, in a phone call, to reconsider his decision recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, said WAFA.

Cavusoglu reportedly told al-Maliki of the contacts Turkey has had with other governments to help protect the Palestinian people and end their suffering.

Cavusoglu said he was willing to work with al-Maliki on anything that would help secure Palestinians’ legitimate rights and independence, it added.

On Friday, at least 15 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were martyred and hundreds injured when Israeli forces opened fire on protesters marking “Land Day,” an annual Palestinian commemoration of the deaths of six Arab Israeli citizens killed by Israeli forces in 1976, during demonstrations over government land confiscations in northern Israel. 

On Friday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s excessive use of force against Palestinians, saying in a statement: “Israel must immediately cease the use of force that will further increase tension in the region.”

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared Saturday a day of mourning over Friday’s deaths.

Separately, the UN Security Council on Friday convened an emergency session at Kuwait’s request over the Israeli bloodshed.