Turkey wants ‘permanent solution’ to Palestine issue

By Tolga Ciplak

KONYA, Turkey

Finding a "permanent solution" to the Palestinian issue is Turkey’s ultimate goal, the country's top diplomat said Thursday.

Addressing students at a university in central Konya province, Mevlut Cavusoglu said: "Our struggle is aimed at one single goal: To find a permanent solution to the Palestinian issue."

"We will work hard for an independent Palestine state to be recognized and to be a member of the United Nations. We will not stop until we achieve this goal."

Cavusoglu's remarks came after at least 62 Palestinian demonstrators were martyred and thousands more injured by Israeli armed forces along the Gaza border on Monday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

"Israel should give an account and it will. We will not stop pursuing it," he said.

Cavusoglu also said Turkey will encourage countries to recognize an independent Palestinian state.

"We will be in solidarity with the countries, which hesitate to recognize an independent Palestine state although they want to recognize it -- together with the international community. We will encourage those countries as well."

Thousands of Palestinians had gathered on the Gaza Strip’s eastern border to take part in protests marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel -- the Nakba ("Catastrophe") -- and protest the relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Since the Gaza rallies began on March 30, more than 100 Palestinian demonstrators have been martyred by cross-border Israeli army gunfire.

Last week, the Israeli government claimed the ongoing border protests constitute a “state of war” in which international humanitarian law does not apply.