Struggle of Palestinians must be supported on the basis of law — Erdogan

Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged more countries to recognise the state of Palestine, saying they must be supported by all of humanity as Israel's relentless war on Gaza continued with at least 35,272 Palestinians — mostly babies, children and women — killed.

"The struggle for freedom, for which Palestinians have paid heavy prices, must be supported by all of humanity on the basis of law and diplomacy," Erdogan said on Thursday in a news conference after receiving Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Stating that the meeting with Kobakhidze also focused on current regional and global issues, Erdogan said that they shared their assessments of the atrocities in Gaza and the responsibilities of the international community.

Noting that the decision taken by the UN General Assembly on May 10 demonstrated the stance of the international community, Erdogan said that he finds the ongoing support actions for Palestine around the globe very meaningful and valuable in terms of human conscience.

Bilateral ties with Georgia

Emphasising the strong bond between Türkiye and Georgia, two “friendly, neighbouring, and strategic partner” countries, Erdogan stated that they had fruitful discussions with Kobakhidze.

He reiterated Ankara’s strong support for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, stability, and prosperity of Georgia, saying: “I expressed that our support for Georgia's integration efforts with European Atlantic institutions will continue."

Stating that bilateral trade volume between the two nations reached $3 billion, Erdogan added that the new target is over $5 billion.

He also underlined that Türkiye continues to work to fully "reactivate" the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway, which he called the Middle Corridor's backbone.

Fighting terror groups

Erdogan and Kobakhidze also focused on steps to enhance the two countries' "effectiveness" in fighting terror groups and organised crime, particularly the PKK and Fetullah Terrorist Organisation (FETO).

The Turkish president reiterated his determination to fight against “illegitimate entities” that threaten the “peace and even the lives of our citizens, both domestically and internationally.”

“The breath of our state will continue to be on the necks of members of terrorist and criminal organisations,” he added.

Referring to a shooting on Wednesday that targeted Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Erdogan vowed to "continue to stand against any action that threatens peace, stability, and security in our region."