Turkish President praises Pope Leo's stance on the Palestinian issue

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan praised Pope Leo's stance on the Palestinian issue after meeting him in Ankara on Thursday, and said he hoped his first overseas visit as Catholic leader will benefit humanity at a time of tension and uncertainty.

"We commend (Pope Leo's) astute stance on the Palestinian issue," Erdogan said in an address to the Pope and political and religious leaders at the presidential library in the Turkish capital Ankara.

"Our debt to the Palestinian people is justice, and the foundation of this is to immediately implement the vision of a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. Similarly, preserving the historic status of Jerusalem is crucial," Erdogan said.

Pope Leo's calls for peace and diplomacy regarding the war in Ukraine are also very meaningful, Erdogan said.

In September, Leo met at the Vatican with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and raised the "tragic situation" in Gaza with him.

Turkey has emerged as among the harshest critics of Israel's bombardment of Gaza, in its conflict there with Palestinian militant group Hamas.

-Huseyin Hayatsever and Tuvan Gumrukcu/Reuters