Reflecting the depth of relations between Palestine and Turkey, Abdul Karim az-Zubeidi, President of the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA), met with his Turkish counterpart Ekrem İmamoğlu, President of the Union of Municipalities of Turkey (TBB), in Istanbul. The meeting was also attended by Dr. Faed Mustafa, Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Turkey, and Rana Abu Sabi’ah, Advisor to the Palestine Embassy.

The meeting discussed municipal cooperation and experience sharing between APLA and TBB. Both parties stressed the importance of this collaboration, particularly in light of the major challenges facing Palestinian local government units (LGUs) due to Israel’s systematic policies that undermine municipal functions and tighten the grip on citizens.

Az-Zubeidi extended his most heartfelt condolences to the Turkish people for the death of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish citizen who was martyred on the Palestinian soil. He further affirmed the deep ties between the two brotherly peoples.

İmamoğlu asserted that Turkey “views the question of Palestine as a central issue,” indicating that TBB was committed to provide all possible support to Palestinian LGUs to achieve sustainable development. İmamoğlu expressed his wish to see more cooperation in all areas with the potential of improving citizens’ daily lives.

Dr. Mustafa expressed appreciation to İmamoğlu for his supportive positions and ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian people. He also thanked İmamoğlu for the financial aid he delivered to Palestinian students in Istanbul and highlighted that the visit would break new ground for cooperation and partnership between both sides.

APLA and TBB stressed the dire need for more effective cooperation to support Palestinian LGUs in the face of currently difficult circumstances and strengthen their capacity to provide basic services to communities despite constraints. Both parties voiced their commitment to work together to implement joint projects that serve and support community resilience in Palestine.

This cooperation is not only an opportunity to exchange knowhow and expertise in local administration, but is also an important step to promote Palestinian resilience in the face of challenges.

The meeting involved a constructive discussion of prospects for future cooperation. A tentative agreement was made to sign a partnership protocol to strengthen cooperation in several areas, including city administration experience exchange, infrastructure development, technical support, and training. Both sides confirmed that this partnership would contribute to enhancing efficient municipal functions and developing public service quality, with a focus on applying best practices in urban planning and local administration.