Visit of Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas to Türkiye (September 2025)

President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas paid a visit to Türkiye on 18 September 2025. During the visit, President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye in Ankara. The meeting took place at the Presidential Complex and addressed diplomatic relations between the two countries as well as regional developments.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, 18 September 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Ceremony of Welcome

On 18 September 2025, President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas was received at the Presidential Complex in Ankara by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye. During the welcoming ceremony, the two leaders posed for an official photograph in front of the Turkish and Palestinian flags on the staircase. Subsequently, the parties moved to a hall within the Complex for their meeting, which was held behind closed doors.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with President of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas, 18 September 2025 – (Anadolu Ajansı)

Content of the Meeting

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye and President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine attended the meeting held at the Presidential Complex, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also present. The primary agenda of the meeting was Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

Following the closed-door meeting, the Presidency of Communications issued a statement regarding President Erdoğan’s talks with President Abbas. According to the statement, the discussions covered Israel’s attacks on Palestine and regional issues.

President Erdoğan stated that Israel’s genocide in Gaza had entered a new phase with its latest deadly assaults, and that Israel was threatening not only Palestine but also regional stability, citing the attack on Qatar as evidence of this.

Erdoğan noted that the number of leaders and opinion leaders criticizing Israel was increasing, and that efforts to intensify international pressure on Israel were ongoing. He affirmed that Türkiye would continue to firmly raise the Palestinian cause and Israel’s aggression on every platform.

President Erdoğan emphasized that Türkiye’s top priority was securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and ending the humanitarian catastrophe in the region. He stressed that Türkiye consistently highlighted Israel’s actions undermining peace and reaffirmed that Türkiye would serve as the voice of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly.

Erdoğan stated that the Islamic world must unite more closely to eliminate the threat posed by Israel, and that achieving full political unity in Palestine would strengthen these efforts. He added that Türkiye would continue to support these initiatives.

State Dinner

Following the meeting, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted a state dinner at the Presidential Complex in honor of President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine. The dinner was held behind closed doors.