Erdogan: Intl. bodies failed Muslim world in Palestine issue

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says international organizations have disappointed the Muslim world regarding the issue of Palestine, urging freedom-seeking people to defend Palestinian struggles against the Israeli regime's occupation.

Erdogan made the remarks in an address to the 34th meeting of the Standing Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Wednesday.

Muslims, Erdogan said, have pushed for solutions to the Palestine issue and wars, but international organizations have disappointed them.

The Turkish president, however, stressed the determination of the Islamic world to stand by the Palestinian nation and said, “As long as Muslims and people defend justice and freedom, Palestine will continue to exist.”

He also vowed to encourage his nation to visit Jerusalem al-Quds “so occupiers will not dim the lights of the holy city.”

The US recognized Jerusalem al-Quds as Israel’s “capital” last December and moved the American embassy to the occupied Palestinian city in May.

“We should not fall into trap of those who give more weight to a drop of oil than a drop of blood,” he added.

Elsewhere in his address, Erdogan called on Muslim countries to use national currencies in their transactions as an important step “for liberation from imperialist shackles.”

He further noted that increasing trade among member states of the OIC’s economic cooperation committee makes them strong.

Israel: US to unveil ‘peace’ plan in early 2019

In another development on Tuesday, Israel’s UN ambassador said the US would present its so-called “deal of the century” on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict early next year.

PressTV-Palestinians angry as US plans to unveil 'deal of century'

Leading Palestinian groups have pledged to reject the Trump administration’s “deal of the century” after reports that the US is soon to publish the plan.

Danny Danon told journalists that the “peace” plan had been “completed” and that the administration of US President Donald Trump had discussed with Tel Aviv the timing to release the initiative.

“As far as we know, they speak with us about beginning of '19, which is coming soon,” he said. “We don’t know the details of the plan but we know that it's completed.”

While little is known about the plan, leaks have suggested that it regards Jerusalem al-Quds entirely as Israeli territory, whereas Palestinians view the eastern sector of the occupied city as the capital of their future state.

Earlier this month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abba rejected the initiative, saying he would only accept a deal that secures “the independence and the sovereignty of the Palestinian people on their land in the 1967 territories with East al-Quds as its capital.”

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