Erdogan: Jerusalem as Palestinian capital cannot be delayed

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Turkey was determined to ramp up diplomatic efforts to achieve calm in the fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militant group Hamas, but added that a two-state solution was the only way to achieve regional peace. Turkey, which has supported Palestinians in the past, hosted members of Hamas which launched the attack on Israel on Saturday, also said it was ready to help de-escalate the current fighting taking place. Speaking in Istanbul, Erdogan repeated a call to avoid steps that will exacerbate the violence and added that the Israeli-Palestinian situation was at the root of all problems in the Middle East. His speech also came as massive crowds gathered in Istanbul, urging the government to send military help to Gaza. #turkey #erdogan #palestine #gaza #gazaunderattack #israel