Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Palestine Cannot be Bought off

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey has released a written statement regarding the "Middle East Peace Plan", which was announced to the public by the US yesterday (January 28).

Referring to the plan, which is also called the "Deal of the Century" by President Trump, the statement has indicated that it is "stillborn" and aims to "to destroy the two-state solution and seize the Palestinian territories."

The Ministry has released the following statement:

Call for an end of 'Israel's occupation policy'

"The so-called US peace plan is stillborn. This is an annexation plan aiming to destroy the two-state solution and seize the Palestinian territories. The people and the land of Palestine cannot be bought off.

"Jerusalem is our red line. We will not allow any step seeking to legitimize Israel's occupation and atrocities.

"We will always stand by the brotherly Palestinian people and will continue to work for an independent Palestine on Palestinian land. We will not support any plan that does not have the support of Palestine.

"There will not be any peace in the Middle East without ending Israel's occupation policies."

What does the plan foresee?

Trump announced the plan briefly as follows:

"They [both sides] want peace, and they want peace badly. (...) This is the first time Israel has authorized the release of a conceptual map, illustrating the territorial compromises it's willing to make for the cause of peace.

"I have done a lot for Israel: (...) Therefore, it is only reasonable that I have to do a lot for the Palestinians, or it just wouldn't be fair.

"Today's agreement is a historic opportunity for the Palestinians to finally achieve an independent state of their very own.

"This map will more than double the Palestinian territory and provide a Palestinian capital in eastern Jerusalem where America will proudly open an embassy. No Palestinians or Israelis will be uprooted from their homes.

"Over the next 10 years, if executed well, 1 million great new Palestinian jobs will be created. Their poverty rate will be cut in half. And their poverty rate is unacceptable now and only getting worse.

"Their GDP will double and triple. And much-needed hope, joy, opportunity, and prosperity will finally arrive for the Palestinian people." (EKN/SD)