Ankara urges Palestinian groups to unite to keep leverage

Turkey yesterday urged Palestinian groups to take advantage of the high moral ground they achieved with their recent agreement to form a unity government. Meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Abdullah Gul stressed that to use this leverage, Palestinian groups must be united. Abbas' meetings with Turkish officials followed Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's talks with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal earlier this week about solving disputes over forming a unity government. Abbas also met with Davutoglu, and is set to meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today. Gul said Turkey wants to see all "brother countries" in a strong position. "A united Palestine is crucial" for the peace process, Gul told Abbas. Abbas' Fatah and Meshaal's Hamas have argued over who will serve as the unity government's prime minister.