Turkey Strongly Condemns Expansion of Israeli Settlements in the West Bank

Ankara, MINA – The government of Turkey strongly condemned Israel’s plans to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said the move was “a continuation of Israel’s occupation and oppression policy”. Thus quoted from Anadolu Agency on Saturday, May 9.

It said that the plan indicated Israel’s efforts to continue depriving Palestinian rights through blatant illegal settlement activities.

Turkey’s criticism came a day after Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennet approved the construction of 7,000 illegal settlement units in the Euphrates, located in the southern part of the West Bank.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry says Israel is eliminating all possible two-state solutions through continuous expansion of illegal settlements in the Palestinian territories.

“Turkey rejects all Israeli settlement activities, which violate UN resolutions, and will always support the Palestinian brothers and their cause,” the statement said.

The Israeli government has stepped up settlement construction on occupied Palestinian land in recent months, ahead of plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank in July under the so-called “Deal of the Century”.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is considered an “occupied territory” under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there illegal. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)