Türkiye has condemned Israel’s latest decision to expand settlement activities in the West Bank, urging that this sort of illegal move would undermine the ongoing peace efforts and weaken the prospects for a two-state solution.
“We strongly condemn the latest decision of the Israeli government, which aims to impose its authority over the occupied West Bank and expand settlement activities,” read a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Feb. 15.
The Israeli government wants to expand its settlement activities towards the West Bank in an obvious effort to nix the creation of a Palestinian state.
“This step, which seeks to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land and accelerate Israel’s unlawful annexation efforts, constitutes a clear violation of international law and is null and void,” the ministry said.
Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, it added, urging that “the expansionist policies intensified by the Netanyahu government in the occupied West Bank undermine ongoing peace efforts in the region and damage the prospects for a two-state solution.”
“We call on the international community to take a firm stance against Israel’s attempts to create faits accomplis on the ground. Türkiye will continue to support efforts aimed at establishing an independent, sovereign, and contiguous State of Palestine on the basis of 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital,” the statement added.
The Israeli move comes days before United States President Donald Trump is set to hold the first meeting of the Board of Peace, a panel that convenes world leaders devoted to implementing the peace deal between Israel and Hamas.
