Erdogan to release Israeli Arabs held over illegal kidney transplants
MKs Ahmed Tibi, Talab Abu Arar and Masud Ganaim were among those who participated in the 90-minute meeting at the Tarabya Presidential Campus.
By EYTAN HALONUpdated: FEBRUARY 2, 2019 23:48Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a joint news conference with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani (not seen) after their meeting in Ankara, Turkey, December 20, 2018(photo credit: UMIT BEKTAS / REUTERS)
Following a meeting Saturday with a delegation of Arab-Israeli MKs, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ordered the termination of legal proceedings against a number of Arab-Israelis arrested after arriving in the country to undergo illegal kidney transplant operations.According to the delegation, the controversial Turkish president promised the lawmakers that he would order relevant authorities to end the proceedings after the Israeli citizens spent approximately two weeks in custody, and to assist them with necessary medical care.MKs Ahmad Tibi, Taleb Abu Arar and Masud Gnaim were among those who participated in the 90-minute meeting at the Tarabya Presidential Campus on the shore of the Bosphorus.Speaking after the meeting, Tibi said they discussed a range of issues with Erdogan, including the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian self-determination and the Nation-State Law.“[Erdogan] said the law was a flagrant violation of international law, and said he would continue to stand alongside the Palestinian people and al-Aqsa Mosque, even if he remains the last one standing,” said Tibi.“He called on Turkish-Muslim citizens to travel to Jerusalem to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque.”Erdogan also ordered the termination of legal proceedings against a number of Arab-Israelis arrested after arriving in the country to undergo illegal kidney transplant operations.Additional topics discussed included the possibility of offering Turkish university scholarships for Arab-Israeli students.Responding to the meeting, former defense minister MK Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) said in jest that it represented the first time he agreed with Erdogan.“During his meeting today with Knesset members from the Joint List, Erdogan praised them for serving the interests of the Palestinians from within the Knesset. With such a ‘kosher seal,’ it is clear that their place is in the parliament in Ramallah and not the Israeli Knesset,” said Liberman.“As for Erdogan, the time has come for Israel to openly stand by the Kurdish people suffering from violent oppression and brutal persecution by his regime against them. Those same Members of Knesset ought not only to visit Ankara, but also the Kurdish areas and see the reality on the ground.”On Friday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s decision not to renew the mandate of an international observer force operating in Hebron for the last 22 years. The Temporary International Presence in Hebron operates under a mandate renewed twice a year by Israel and five contributing countries, including Turkey.“We strongly condemn Israel’s unilateral termination of the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron... and expect this political decision to be reversed,” said the ministry.“We decisively reject the allegation that the TIPH has been working against Israel, which is presented by Israel as a justification for its decision.”Ömer Çelik, spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), said the decision demonstrated that Israel was planning aggressive action in Hebron.“We urge the whole world to be more careful about the situation in Hebron,” Çelik tweeted.
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