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Security cooperation agreement signed by Turkey and Palestinian Authority enters into force 

June 5, 2021 at 2:19 pm

President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and President of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas (L) hold a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkey on 28 August 2017 [Mehmet Ali Özcan/Anadolu Agency]

Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported that Ankara has taken the first step to re-implement the Libyan model with the Palestinians regarding a security cooperation agreement signed by Turkey and the Palestinian Authority (PA) that recently entered into force.

In a report translated by Arabi21, the newspaper pointed out that Turkey, which expressed strong opinions regarding the recent Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, two days ago ratified the security cooperation agreement signed with the PA in 2018.

Yeni Safak indicated that this decision is considered a first step in implementing a model similar to the Maritime Boundary Treaty that Turkey signed with Libya.

Under the agreement that entered into force, the Palestinian law enforcement forces will be trained at the Gendarmerie and Coast Guard Academy in Turkey, the newspaper reported.

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The newspaper added that short and long-term projects would be implemented to increase the capabilities of Palestinian law enforcement forces by providing training, consultation and technical assistance.

The newspaper explained that Ankara sent clear messages to the Israeli occupation and took a decisive step during the National Security Council meeting held last Wednesday. As a result: “The security cooperation agreement signed between the Republic of Turkey and the government of the State of Palestine in 2018 was published in the Official Gazette and entered into force.”

Yeni Safak added that the agreement sets in motion a new phase in Turkey-Palestine relations, whereby cooperation in combating money laundering, cybercrime, smuggling cultural and natural property, narcotics and human trafficking, and combating migrant smuggling and illegal immigration were agreed.

The newspaper noted that the exchange of intelligence and operational techniques to combat terrorism are among the most prominent provisions of the agreement, noting that the accord section on maritime and coastal security issues is also significant.

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