German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier voiced his objection to US President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States take over the war-ravaged Palestinian enclave of Gaza, during a visit to Ankara on Wednesday, describing it as “unacceptable,” the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
His remarks came during a joint news conference with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the presidential complex on Wednesday evening.
Steinmeier said such proposals to move or displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip are “unacceptable” in terms of international law and lead to concerns and fears. He said Germany, like Turkey, supports a two-state solution to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Trump made his proposal to “take over” the Gaza Strip on Tuesday at a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The US president did not give details of how he would move out more than 2 million Palestinians or control Gaza, but said he would make the war-battered coastal territory “unbelievable,” removing rubble and driving economic redevelopment.
Steinmeier’s visit to Ankara was the last stop on his three-day tour of the Middle East after visiting Saudi Arabia and Jordan earlier this week.
His visit came one day after Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s interim president, arrived in Ankara for talks with President Erdoğan, his second international trip since ousting President Bashar al-Assad.
Steinmeier said he and Erdoğan also discussed “in detail” the situation in Syria, with Erdoğan providing information about the meeting he had with al-Sharaa. He called Turkey a “key player” in the region.
Turkey, which is currently home to some 3 million Syrian refugees, has seen its influence in the region rise following the fall of Assad.
The German president said all ethnic groups must participate in the governance of Syria for the country to be stable.
Steinmeier visited Turkey in April of last year for the first time since his election as president in 2017.