Meeting Erdogan, UK’s May calls for Gaza calm from both sides
Theresa May urges restraint from both sides and calls for an independent investigation into 60 Palestinians killed in coastal enclave protest
Britain's
Prime Minister Theresa May and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
attend a joint press conference following their meeting inside 10
Downing Street in central London on May 15, 2018. (AFP/ POOL / Matt
Dunham)
British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday urged all sides to
show restraint after Israeli forces killed 60 Palestinians during
clashes along the Gaza border.
“Such violence is destructive to peace efforts and we call on all sides to show restraint,” she said, speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following talks at her Downing Street office.
The deaths came during protests Monday as the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
At least 2,400 more were wounded in the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza war.
“There is an urgent need to establish the facts of what happened yesterday through an independent and transparent investigation, including why such a volume of live fire was used and what role Hamas played in events,” May said.
The United States on Monday blocked the adoption of a UN Security Council statement that would have called for an independent probe.
“Palestinians have the right to protest, but these protests must be peaceful. We are concerned that extremist elements are seeking to hijack legitimate protests to further their own objectives,” May said.
“While we do not question the right of Israel to defend its borders, the use of live fire and the resulting loss of life is deeply troubling. We urge Israel to show restraint.”
The comments alongside the Turkish leader came as Jerusalem and Ankara were engaged in a diplomatic tussle over the Gaza deaths, with both sides expelling each others’ envoys and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entering into a war of words with Erdogan.
Earlier on Tuesday, Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office minister responsible for Middle East affairs, reiterated Britain’s commitment to a two-state solution to the conflict, and said it did not agree with the US decision to move its embassy.
“Such violence is destructive to peace efforts and we call on all sides to show restraint,” she said, speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following talks at her Downing Street office.
The deaths came during protests Monday as the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
At least 2,400 more were wounded in the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the 2014 Gaza war.
“There is an urgent need to establish the facts of what happened yesterday through an independent and transparent investigation, including why such a volume of live fire was used and what role Hamas played in events,” May said.
The United States on Monday blocked the adoption of a UN Security Council statement that would have called for an independent probe.
“Palestinians have the right to protest, but these protests must be peaceful. We are concerned that extremist elements are seeking to hijack legitimate protests to further their own objectives,” May said.
“While we do not question the right of Israel to defend its borders, the use of live fire and the resulting loss of life is deeply troubling. We urge Israel to show restraint.”
The comments alongside the Turkish leader came as Jerusalem and Ankara were engaged in a diplomatic tussle over the Gaza deaths, with both sides expelling each others’ envoys and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entering into a war of words with Erdogan.
Earlier on Tuesday, Alistair Burt, the Foreign Office minister responsible for Middle East affairs, reiterated Britain’s commitment to a two-state solution to the conflict, and said it did not agree with the US decision to move its embassy.
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