Turkey says Trump's Middle East plan 'stillborn'

• "The United States' so-called peace plan is stillborn," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

ISTANBUL: Turkey said US President Donald Trump's Middle East plan was "stillborn" on Tuesday, calling it an "annexation plan" intended to destroy hopes for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians.

"The United States' so-called peace plan is stillborn," Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This is an annexation plan aimed at killing a two-state solution and extorting the Palestinian territory," it added.

"The Palestinian people and their land cannot be bought for money."

Trump on Tuesday unveiled long-awaited details of a US plan for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying that Jerusalem would remain Israel's "undivided capital".

Turkey, a strong advocate of the Palestinian cause, said Jerusalem was Ankara's "redline".

"We will not allow any step that will legitimise Israel's occupation and persecution. We will always stand by brotherly Palestinian people. We will work for an independent Palestine in the Palestinian territory," the ministry said.

"We will not support any plan that is not accepted by Palestine. There will be no peace in the Middle East without an end to the occupation policies."

A large crowd of protesters gathered outside the US consulate in Istanbul, shortly after the announcement, in an event organised by the Turkish Islamic charity IHH.

"Down with Israel! Down with America!" they chanted.