Ending Israeli ‘aggression’ key to Middle East peace: Turkish official

Published June 29, 2026 Updated June 29, 2026 02:03pm

Numan Kurtulmus, Turkiye’s parliament speaker, says halting the far-right Israeli government’s expansionist policies would not only allow Palestinians to live in peace but also help stabilise the region, Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking at the opening of a NATO summit in Istanbul, Kurtulmus said there can be no lasting Middle East peace without the Palestinian people receiving justice after decades of Israel’s incursions.

“The end of these acts of aggression by the Israeli government would not only allow Palestinians to attain peace and tranquillity, but would also mean securing world peace,” he said.

Kurtulmus reiterated Turkiye’s support for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital, adding “there is no other way forward than a two-state solution.”

He also highlighted the recent Iran-US interim deal. “We hope that they will ultimately lead to a lasting and just peace, not merely a ceasefire but a genuine peace settlement.”