Erdogan: ‘We hope Trump will keep promise to end Israel’s wars in the Middle East’

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed his hope that US President-elect Donald Trump will keep his promises to stop Israel’s wars in the Middle East.

Erdogan made his comment to reporters on a plane while returning from a visit to Hungary, according to Turkish media.

“Trump has made promises to end conflicts… We want that promise to be fulfilled and for Israel to be told to stop,” he expressed.

Erdogan added that he will continue his talks with Trump regarding developments in the Middle East: “We worked with Mr Trump during his previous term, despite differences in opinion sometimes, but the exemplary partnership between our two countries is not open to discussion.”

The Turkish president voiced his optimism for achieving sustainable peace and calm in the region during Trump’s second term, noting the positive statements made by Trump regarding Turkiye in the coming period and stating that he had been invited to visit Turkiye.

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President Erdogan explained: “Trump’s presidency of the United States will greatly affect the political and military balances in the Middle East. Mr Trump cutting off the arms support provided to Israel could be a good start in order to stop the Israeli aggression in Palestinian and Lebanese lands.”

Since 23 September, the occupation forces have expanded the scope of the genocide it has been committing in Gaza since 7 October, 2023, to include most areas of Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, through unprecedentedly violent and intense airstrikes. It also began a ground invasion into the south, disregarding international warnings and UN resolutions.

The Israeli occupation army, supported by the US and Europe, continues its aggression against the Gaza Strip for the second year running, with its planes bombing hospitals, buildings, towers and homes of Palestinian civilians, destroying them over the heads of their residents. It has also prevented water, food, medicine and fuel entry.

The aggression has left around 146,000 Palestinians dead and wounded, most of them women and children, and more than 10,000 are thought to be missing amidst massive destruction and famine that has killed dozens of children and elderly in one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the world.

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