Erdogan: We won’t allow Palestinian lands to be offered to anyone else,

‘I would like to reiterate that al-Quds al-Sharif is a red line for all Muslims worldwide’

TURKISH PRESIDENT Tayyip Erdogan, who regularly attacks Israel, and has claimed that Turkey is the ‘lone voice’ standing up for Palestinians.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan on Sunday, in a video message on Twitter and reiterated Turkey’s support for Palestinians.

“We will not allow the Palestinian lands to be offered to anyone else,” Erdogan said in the video message addressed to US Muslims.

“I would like to reiterate that al-Quds al-Sharif, the holy site of three religions and our first Kiblah, is a red line for all Muslims worldwide,” he added, in reference to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Erdogan regularly attacks Israel, and in December he insisted that Turkey was a victim of “terrorist attacks” because of its “principled stance” against “oppression in Jerusalem.” He also claimed that Turkey is the “lone voice” standing up for Palestinians today.

In his Twitter message, Erdogan also attacked the plans of Israel’s government to annex parts of the West Bank in the upcoming months. Turkey’s leader has long opposed US President Donald Trump’s Deal of the Century and claimed that, “Last week we witnessed that a new occupation and annexation project, which disregards Palestine’s sovereignty and international law, was put into action by Israel.”

The annexation of 30% of Area C of the West Bank could begin to move forward as early as July 1, under the terms of Israel’s new coalition agreement signed earlier this month between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and new Alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz.

The populist president also addressed the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “I wish Allah’s mercy upon our brothers and sisters, who lost their lives because of COVID-19, patience to their families, and a speedy recovery to those receiving treatment,” he added.

Erdogan’s anti-Israel stance did not prevent an EL AL flight landing in Turkey on Sunday to collect humanitarian aid and equipment to help the US fight COVID-19.