Former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu proposed today holding a referendum in the Gaza Strip on the annexation of the Palestinian enclave to Turkey. The proposal was reported by the Turkish television Haberturk, BTA reports.
Davutoglu, who is currently the chairman of the Future Party, recalled Palestine's historical affiliation with the Ottoman Empire, emphasizing that the last legitimate state of the residents of Gaza was the Ottoman Empire.
His proposal comes as a response to US President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, which envisages the resettlement of Palestinians. According to Davutoglu, Trump actually intends to seize the natural gas fields to which the Palestinians are entitled.
“We, as the heirs of the Ottoman Empire, are the legitimate state that can offer a solution for the region. Let the people of Gaza hold a referendum and decide whether to join the Republic of Turkey as an autonomous region until a Palestinian state is established,“ Davutoglu said.
He concluded with a question: “Will America come to seize Gaza, and we will stand by and not protect the people of Gaza?“