Palestinian Authority rejects possibility of Turkish rule in Gaza

“President Recep Tayyip Erdogan knows very well that the Gaza Strip is part of the Palestinian territories and not an independent republic," says senior Fatah official close to Abbas.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Updated: DECEMBER 30, 2015 05:45
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) address the media at the Presidential Palace in Ankara January 12, 2015. (photo credit: REUTERS)
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) address the media at the Presidential Palace in Ankara January 12, 2015.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday rejected a report that Turkey might subjugate the Gaza Strip to its rule.
Hamas has also denied the report, which was first published in the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet Daily News.
The report claimed that Turkey wants free shipping access to the Gaza Strip in order to provide aid to the Palestinians as a condition for restoring normal ties with Israel.
A government source in Ankara told the newspaper that Turkey would not back down from the demand, even at the cost of the collapse of rapprochement with Israel.
“We hope this report is not true,” said Muhammad Shtayyeh, a senior Fatah official who is closely associated with PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
“President Recep Tayyip Erdogan knows very well that the Gaza Strip is part of the Palestinian territories and not an independent republic.
Erdogan also knows that President Abbas is the only address for Palestinian legitimacy.”
Shtayyeh said that the PA maintains close relations with Turkey. He pointed out that Abbas had visited Turkey five times in one year.
The London-based Al-Hayat newspaper reported that the Egyptians are also unhappy with the report concerning Turkey and the Gaza Strip. It said that the presence of Turkey in the Gaza Strip would be seen by the Egyptians as a “provocation.”
The Egyptians are reported to have sent a message to Israel demanding that it reject any Turkish presence in Gaza.
Musa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas official, announced on Monday night that his movement is strongly opposed to any attempt to “subjugate” the Gaza Strip. He said that the talk about placing the Gaza Strip under Turkish rule is nothing but an “illusion.”
He insisted that Turkey is anyway not interested in managing the Gaza Strip.