Mahmoud Abbas Hails Türkiye’s Unwavering Support for Palestinian People

The Turkish Grand Assembly paused its summer break for a special sitting of the parliament for a speech by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. His two-day visit to Ankara came amid escalating tensions in the region, while a new round of ceasefire talks on Gaza also took place in Qatar. Almost a month after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's fiery speech to the US Congress, Abbas blasted Tel Aviv in his address. During his speech Abbas also praised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for defending the rights of the Palestinian people. Abbas’ visit to Ankara came right after he met with Russian President Putin in Moscow, where he accused the UN of failing to establish a Palestinian state due to US pressure. At least 40 thousand Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its war on Gaza on October 7. And after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s recent assassination by an airstrike in Tehran, fears for the risk of a wider regional war have been growing. While Iranian officials have suggested the country will not retaliate if a Gaza ceasefire is reached, the US has asked Ankara and other allies to persuade Iran to de-escalate tensions in the region. Strait Talk, hosted by Ayse Suberker, is TRT World’s programme that features in-depth analysis of Türkiye’s role in the world. Guests: Ebrahim Rasool Former South African Ambassador to US Paolo Von Schirach President at Global Policy Institute