Middle East: Turkish President Erdogan congratulates Macron on recognizing the State of Palestine

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who announced Thursday that France would recognize the State of Palestine in September at the UN, the Turkish presidency said on Sunday.

"A two-state solution is essential for lasting peace in the region," the Turkish head of state stressed during his telephone conversation with Emmanuel Macron, calling on the international community to "act" urgently in the face of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, according to the presidential statement.

During their conversation, President Erdogan "congratulated French President Macron on his decision to recognize Palestine as a state," she further wrote.

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz will participate in a conference co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia in New York on Monday and Tuesday aimed at reviving the idea of a two-state solution in the Middle East, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Sunday.

France had to defend Emmanuel Macron's announcement this week, saying it was intended to "prove the peace camp right," in response to fierce criticism from Israel and the United States, which accuse Paris of playing into Hamas's hands.