Palestinian Authority Opposes Erdogan Gaza Trip

YERUSHALAYIM

A day after reports of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plan to visit the Gaza Strip in May, the Palestinian Authority was making known its opposition, The Jerusalem Post reported on Monday.

Azzam al-Ahmed, a member of the Fatah Central Committee and a close advisor to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said that Erdogan’s visit to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip would deepen Palestinian divisions.

With the aim of protecting its status as the sole representative of the Palestinians, the PA has in the past opposed visits to the Gaza Strip by other world leaders, including the Qatari emir, Tunisian president and Malaysian prime minister. Such visits serve to enhance the prestige of their bitter rivals in Hamas.

Abbas, Ahmed said, is planning to travel to Ankara soon in a bid to dissuade Erdogan from going to Gaza.

“We hope this visit does not take place,” Ahmed said. “Anyone who visits the Gaza Strip without coordination with the Palestinian Authority supports and deepens the split between the Palestinian Authority and the Gaza Strip.”

A PA official told the Post that the PA leadership has asked the U.S. administration to exert pressure on Erdogan to cancel the trip to Gaza.

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