RAMALLAH / Husni Nedim / Anadolu

The municipality of Surda and Abu Qash, north of Ramallah in the central West Bank, inaugurated on Wednesday a park named 'July 15 Martyrs' Park, with support and funding from the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Turkish Deputy Ambassador to Palestine, Cem Berk Tatar, said during the opening ceremony that the project 'represents a new testament to Turkish-Palestinian friendship.'

He stressed that this relationship was evident in the solidarity of the Palestinian people with Turkey during the 2016 coup attempt, and the visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Ankara afterwards.

He added that the coup attempt on July 15, 2016 targeted the elected government, the president, and the constitutional order in Turkey, affirming that the Turkish people 'foiled it with their sacrifices in defense of democracy and the state.'

He emphasized that the 'Fethullah Gulen' organization (FETO), which Ankara accuses of orchestrating the coup attempt, 'is not a religious, educational, or civil society group as it claims, but a transnational terrorist and criminal organization that seeks to infiltrate state institutions and achieve its secret agenda.'

Tatar affirmed that his country will continue to fight the organization 'until it is completely eliminated,' noting that the death of its leader Fethullah Gulen in the United States in 2024 'will not affect the continuation of this path.'

For his part, the mayor of Surda and Abu Qash, Jihad Shalout, said the park represents 'a symbol of cooperation and friendship between the Palestinian and Turkish peoples,' considering that it provides a public breathing space for residents and reflects the depth of historical relations between the two sides.

He added that the project was completed in a short time despite procedural challenges, stressing that its opening on the anniversary of July 15 'carries a message of loyalty and appreciation to the Turkish people.'

Shalout praised Turkey's support for the Palestinian people, expressing hope for the continued implementation of joint development projects serving the Palestinian community.

In turn, the deputy coordinator of Palestine programs at TIKA, Rami Sab Laban, said 'the park is the third project implemented by the agency in the field of parks and green spaces in the Ramallah governorate, to commemorate July 15.'

He added that the project was completed in 45 days, after converting a rocky piece of land into a public park, aiming to provide a breathing space for Palestinian children and families amid the difficult conditions the residents are experiencing.

He noted that the park bears the name 'July 15 Martyrs' in commemoration of the victims of the coup attempt in Turkey, and as an embodiment of the values of solidarity between the Turkish and Palestinian peoples.

Turkey commemorates every July 15 the anniversary of the failed coup attempt the country witnessed in 2016, which resulted in the death of 253 people and injuries to more than 2,000 others. Ankara accuses the 'Fethullah Gulen' organization of being behind it, which the organization denies.