Rawhi Fattouh, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) National Council, expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus for hosting a recent international meeting aimed at bolstering support for Palestine.
The Group of Parliaments in Support of Palestine meeting, led by Türkiye’s parliament speaker and held in Istanbul last week, brought together parliament speakers from 13 countries. Fattouh described the event as a “promising initiative” and said there were plans to expand its reach in the future.
Speaking to Anadolu at the event, Fattouh said the meeting demonstrated a firm stance in support of the Palestinian people’s determination, calling on the international community to intensify pressure on Israel and advocate for a two-state solution.
He stressed that Palestinians will not leave their homeland and asserted that their continued resistance will ultimately compel Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war.
Fattouh condemned the ongoing Israeli military offensives in Gaza, calling them a “massacre,” and criticised the international community for a failure to act or pressure Israel to end the aggression against Palestinians.
No food or drinkable water in Gaza,
Fattouh said more than 40% of people in eastern Gaza are currently living in tents, with over 80% of homes rendered uninhabitable. He reported widespread destruction of infrastructure, including hospitals, mosques, and universities, saying Gaza is now buried under more than 50 million tons of rubble.
More than 15,000 people are still missing under the rubble, he added.
He warned that the most pressing crisis is hunger and thirst, as well as a food blockade and a lack of clean water, which exacerbate the gravity of the situation, as well as an acute shortage of medicine.
He also pointed out that there are not enough hospitals to treat the wounded and that over 5,000 children require prosthetic limbs.
Speaker Kurtulmus holds key meetings with Malaysian and Palestinian counterparts, urges broader international parliamentary engagement to halt Gaza atrocities.
People’s determination will stop this war Fattouh criticised Netanyahu for escalating violence, saying he is backed by the US and is carrying out attacks across multiple regions, including Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen, without any effective opposition to stop him.
He praised the Palestinian people's resilience, saying their determination would prevent displacement from their homeland and, eventually, bring the conflict to an end.
He also thanked Egypt and Jordan for opposing displacement plans and commended Türkiye’s firm stance in support of the Palestinian cause, extending his gratitude to President Erdogan.
Despite Israeli and US actions, Palestinians will not be displaced and remain determined to resist on their land, he asserted.
West Bank situation
Fattouh condemned the increasing violence by illegal Israeli settlers in the West Bank, calling it unacceptable and part of a larger plan to eradicate Palestinians. The Israeli government is targeting refugee camps as part of its nefarious plan to erase Palestinian refugees' identities, he added.
He also criticised the Israeli government for impeding the Palestinian National Authority (PLO) government's ability to operate by withholding taxes payable to it.
He welcomed the European Union’s approval of budgetary support for the PLO and stressed the continued need for international financial assistance for the Palestinian people and the government.
Türkiye's support for Palestine
Turkish President slams Israel’s Gaza offensive, denounces Western silence, and vows continued support for Palestine: “Even if we stand alone, we will defend this cause.”
Fattouh praised Ankara's support for Palestine, highlighting President Erdogan's leadership in aiding Palestinians, treating the wounded, and helping Palestinian students in Türkiye.
He emphasised that Türkiye has carried a much larger burden than many other countries in the region and praised Türkiye’s role in securing the release of Palestinian prisoners.
Highlighting the strong relationship between President Erdogan and his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas, he expressed gratitude for Türkiye's crucial support, saying Palestinians are proud and thankful for Ankara's actions under Erdogan's leadership.
He stressed that victory over Israel can only be achieved through national unity and called for solidarity under the PLO, emphasising the importance of preserving the gains made in the conflict without isolating any party.
