Turkey's top security body, the National Security Council (MGK), convened Wednesday under the chairmanship of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss measures to ensure safety and security during the upcoming presidential and local elections.
The meeting, which lasted for three hours and 15 minutes, was held at Presidential Palace in the Turkish capital Ankara. Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım also attended the meeting.
Along with precautions for election safety, the council also discussed recent developments in Syria, Jerusalem's status and recent violence in the Gaza Strip as well as the fight against terror, a statement released after the meeting said.
The statement said countries that provide open and secret support to terrorist organizations and make up all kinds of excuses to protect terrorists should act in accordance with international law without discriminating between terrorist groups.
The council also reaffirmed that Turkey will continue to support the Palestinian cause on all international platforms, notably in the upcoming meetings of the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Tension has mounted in the Palestinian territories since last December, when U.S. President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
On May 14, the U.S. relocated its Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, drawing condemnation from across the Arab and Muslim world and further enflaming passions in the Palestinian territories.
Since March 30, at least 118 Palestinians have been killed -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army gunfire in the eastern Gaza Strip.
