Media Review: Erdogan says agreement reached with Trump on Gaza ceasefire and "lasting peace"

Media Review: Erdogan says agreement reached with Trump on Gaza ceasefire and "lasting peace"

    Friday, September 26, 2025   No comments

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he had reached an understanding with US President Donald Trump on steps to secure a ceasefire and "lasting peace" in Gaza and Palestine following their talks at the White House on Thursday.

"Our meeting was very important in terms of putting forth the will to end the massacres in Gaza. Mr. Trump stated during the meeting the need to end fighting in Gaza and reach lasting peace," Erdogan told reporters, according to a transcript released by his office on Friday.

"We explained how a ceasefire can be achieved in Gaza and the whole of Palestine, and lasting peace afterwards. An understanding was reached there," he added. "We said that the two-state solution was the formula for lasting peace in the region, that the current situation cannot continue."

Trump: “I’m not allowing Israel to annex the West Bank”

US President Donald Trump on Thursday said that he will not allow Israel to annex the occupied West Bank.

Trump’s response came after he was asked whether he had promised Arab leaders during a meeting at the United Nations this week that he would prevent any annexation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow a Palestinian state, and far-right members of his cabinet have threatened to annex the West Bank in response to the recent recognition of a Palestinian state by several Western countries. He was met by boos and walk out at the UN on Friday.

Netanyahu at the UNGA: "We'll never accept a Palestinian state. I say to the European and Western leaders; you cannot shove this Palestinian state down our throats, just because you don't have the guts to stand up against the antisemitic media... Unfortunately, the Western media is pro-Khamas"

Humanitarian Flotilla attacked, Italy Spain Sent military ships to help

Video footage taken by journalists aboard the lead ship of the Global Sumud Flotilla shows an Italian navy ship near the fleet in the Mediterranean Sea.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said on Thursday that a second naval frigate will be deployed to support the Flotilla after it came under at least 13 drone attacks since the late hours of Tuesday.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that Spain would also be sending a navy ship to assist the flotilla.

Arab and Muslim Leaders, who met with Trump, Call for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire as First Step Toward Lasting Peace

Arab and Muslim Leaders, who met with Trump, Call for Immediate Gaza Ceasefire as First Step Toward Lasting Peace

    Wednesday, September 24, 2025   No comments

 In a significant diplomatic move on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, leaders from eight Arab and Muslim-majority nations joined U.S. President Donald Trump in a high-level summit focused on ending the war in Gaza. Following the meeting on Tuesday, the group issued a joint statement on Wednesday emphasizing that an immediate cessation of hostilities is “the first step toward a just and lasting peace.”

The leaders described the situation in Gaza as “an unbearable and tragic humanitarian catastrophe,” citing massive civilian casualties, widespread destruction, and the dire consequences for regional stability and the broader Muslim world. They reaffirmed their collective rejection of forced displacement and stressed the necessity of allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their homes.

Central to the joint declaration was a call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire that would facilitate the release of all hostages and guarantee the unimpeded delivery of sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza. “Ending the war and achieving an immediate ceasefire—ensuring the release of hostages and the entry of adequate humanitarian assistance—is the essential first step toward a just and lasting peace,” the statement read.

The leaders also underscored the urgent need for a comprehensive reconstruction plan for Gaza, built upon proposals previously advanced by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). This plan, they said, must include robust security arrangements and international support for Palestinian leadership to ensure long-term stability and recovery.

Trump’s 21-Point Peace Plan Unveiled

Adding further context to the summit, U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff revealed on Wednesday that a detailed 21-point peace proposal crafted by the Trump administration had been presented to the assembled leaders. According to the American news outlet Axios, the plan outlines a phased approach to de-escalation and post-conflict governance.

Key elements of the proposal include:

The full release of all hostages and prisoners;

A permanent ceasefire;

A gradual Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza;

A “day-after” governance framework that explicitly excludes Hamas from any role in administering the territory;

The deployment of an international security force in Gaza, including Arab troops, to maintain order and support reconstruction efforts.

Witkoff expressed optimism about the prospects for a breakthrough, stating, “I hope—or maybe I’m even confident—that we will soon announce some form of breakthrough regarding Gaza.” He described the plan as a realistic and actionable roadmap designed to address both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term political stability.

In a related development, Witkoff also signaled the administration’s openness to diplomacy with Iran. When asked about potential negotiations, he confirmed, “We are talking to them, and we have a desire to negotiate,” suggesting a broader regional strategy that could link Gaza’s stabilization to wider Middle East diplomacy.

Trump reportedly urged Arab and Muslim leaders to send troops to Gaza to ‘facilitate Israel's withdrawal’ and finance reconstruction.

A Unified Regional Stance

The summit marked a rare moment of alignment between the Trump administration and key Arab and Muslim leaders on the Gaza crisis. By jointly endorsing a ceasefire as the cornerstone of any peace process—and backing a reconstruction plan that sidelines Hamas while empowering Palestinian institutions—the group signaled a shared vision for Gaza’s future.

While challenges remain, particularly in securing buy-in from all conflict parties and ensuring the plan’s implementation, the New York summit has injected renewed momentum into efforts to end one of the region’s most devastating recent conflicts. As Witkoff put it, the goal is not just to stop the fighting, but to “rebuild Palestinian lives in Gaza” with dignity, security, and hope.

Politico: 'Trump promises Arab, Muslim leaders he won’t let Israel annex the West Bank'

At a closed-door meeting on 23 September at the United Nations, President Donald Trump assured Arab and Muslim leaders that he would not allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to annex the occupied West Bank, according to six sources familiar with the discussions, reports Axios.

Trump was described as “firm” on the issue, telling participants that Israel would not be permitted to absorb the territory, which is under Palestinian Authority governance. His administration also circulated a white paper detailing its postwar plan, including governance and security arrangements.

Despite Trump’s assurances, participants noted that a ceasefire to end Israel’s nearly two-year war on Gaza remains distant. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the meeting “fruitful,” while Arab leaders privately emphasized that West Bank annexation would collapse the Abraham Accords — Trump’s signature regional achievement — and halt Israel’s integration into the region. 

The White House has yet to release an official readout.

By a margin of 80% (for) to 5% (against), the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

By a margin of 80% (for) to 5% (against), the United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip

    Wednesday, December 13, 2023   No comments

The United Nations General Assembly adopted an immediate ceasefire resolution in the Gaza Strip, which has been subjected to Israeli aggression for more than 65 days.

The draft resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was voted on in the Assembly, received 153 votes, while 10 countries opposed it, and 23 countries abstained from voting.

Following the vote, the Palestinian presidency welcomed the United Nations’ call for a ceasefire, urging the countries that voted in favor of the resolution to “compel the Israeli occupation to implement it.” The representative of occupied Palestine to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, said that the UN resolution on Gaza is “historic.”

Mansour announced that the General Assembly would vote on the draft resolution that was dropped by the United States of America in the UN Security Council, last Friday.

In an interview with reporters in New York, Mansour indicated that countries that oppose the draft resolution are proposing amendments to it, including “condemning the Hamas movement and labeling it a terrorist,” stressing that “the Arab and Islamic group will reject these amendments together.”

The representative of the United States of America, which vetoed a UNSC resolution calling for an end to the violence last week, Linda Greenfield, indicated that the humanitarian situation in the Strip is “dire, as civilians need everything, and must be protected under international law.”

Greenfield expressed her country's readiness to "resume humanitarian truces," and issued a "promise" to "bring more aid into Gaza," welcoming the occupation's decision to "open the Kerem Shalom crossing," and noting that "Israel must avoid mass killing of civilians,"

But at the same time, Greenfield  affirmed “continuing American support for Israel’s security,” considering that “Hamas remaining a neighbor of Israel is unacceptable,” in a position consistent with the positions of the occupation in its war against the Gaza Strip.

General Assembly of the United Nations; 19-23 + 26 September 2023

General Assembly of the United Nations; 19-23 + 26 September 2023

    Wednesday, September 20, 2023   No comments

General Assembly of the United Nations; 19-23 + 26 September 2023: World Leaders Urge Transformative Solutions to Myriad Threats as Ukraine Conflict, COVID-19 Pandemic Compound Food, Fuel Crises, Worsen Climate Emergency

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