Turkey’s Erdogan lashes out at Israel on a visit to Pakistan and laments the tragedy of Gaza

ISLAMABAD — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Israel during a visit to Pakistan on Thursday, speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and condemning ideas to forcibly displace them from their land.

Speaking at a business forum, Erdogan accused Israel of failing to keep to a ceasefire agreement, warning that the region was being dragged “toward blood and tears again.”

Erdogan reiterated his opposition to President Donald Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians from Gaza.

“Gaza belongs to our Gazan brothers and sisters and will remain so forever,” he said in a televised speech at a business forum in the capital, Islamabad. Erdogan arrived on a two-day visit on Wednesday night.

“The homeland for which the Palestinians have sacrificed tens of thousands of their children is not up for bargaining,” he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Erdogan held talks on Gaza and bilateral Turkey-Pakistani trade and cooperation with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The two leaders also jointly chaired strategic cooperation talks between their countries and witnessed the signing of 24 agreements and a memorandums of understanding on boosting economic and defense ties.

At the business forum, Sharif said the two nations would try to increase the volume of their annual bilateral trade to $5 billion, from the current $1 billion.

“Alongside Pakistan, we strive to provide every effort possible to support to the just cause of our Palestinian brothers, both within the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and other platforms,” Erdogan also said.

“We must strengthen this determined stance, especially at a time when there are unlawful and morally unacceptable proposals such as tearing our Gazan brothers from their homeland,” he added.

Erdogan was earlier welcomed by people in traditional Turkish and Pakistani dress who lined a key city road decorated with Turkish and Pakistani flags. Erdogan was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Emine Erdogan.

The Turkish leader also to also meet with his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari.

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Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.