Ramallah and Al-Bire Governor Leila Gannam met with Turkiye's Consul General to Palestine Ismail Cobanoglu to discuss Israel's escalating attacks on Palestinian territories and recent developments in the region.
During the meeting, Gannam reported on the attacks faced by Palestinian cities and villages from the Israeli army and Jewish settlers. She also described the financial difficulties Palestinians endure due to Israel's seizure of customs revenues and economic restrictions.
Governor Gannam emphasized the depth of Palestinian-Turkish relations and praised Turkiye's political and development support for Palestine. Drawing attention to the violations faced by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, Gannam expressed the Palestinian people's commitment to their land and rights.
Turkish Consul General Cobanoglu stated that Turkiye will maintain its political, humanitarian, and legal support for Palestine on international platforms. Noting that the Palestinian issue will be among the main agenda items at the NATO meeting in Istanbul, Cobanoglu said Turkiye is also coordinating with European countries on Palestine.
The meeting also addressed Israel's withholding of customs revenues collected under the 1994 Paris Economic Protocol, which it is required to transfer to the Palestinian Authority each month. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa announced on June 23 that Israel was holding approximately $11 billion in Palestinian funds, including $6 billion in customs revenues and $5 billion in frozen bank funds.
The meeting took place against the backdrop of escalating attacks in the West Bank. The Palestinian Prisoners Club reported that Israel detained 20 Palestinians in a single night, including five women and a journalist. The Palestinian Presidency warned that settler groups, with support from the Israeli government, plan to seize 100 locations across the West Bank, describing this as "a violation of international law and an undermining of peace."
According to official figures, since the start of Israeli attacks in Gaza on October 8, 2023, a total of 1,173 Palestinians have been killed, 12,666 injured, 24,000 detained, and 33,000 displaced in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
