Turkey strongly condemned on Monday Israel’s decision to expand settlement activities in the Syrian Golan Heights, which have been occupied since 1967.
A statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Israel’s decision to expand settlements in the Golan constitutes a new stage in its efforts to expand its borders through occupation.
The statement referred to Israel’s violation of the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria, its penetration into the isolated area between the two sides, its advance into neighboring areas, and its launching of airstrikes on Syria.
It added that when taking all these developments into account, Israel’s expansion of settlements in the Golan is “extremely worrying.”
It stressed that the ongoing Israeli practices in this regard “are seriously damaging to efforts to achieve peace and stability in Syria and are increasing tension in the region.”
The Turkish Foreign Ministry stressed that Ankara strongly condemns Israel’s decision to expand settlements in the Syrian Golan Heights.
The statement called on the international community to take a firm stance against Israel, stressing the need to put an end to the illegal practices of the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
-Advertisement-
The international community and the United Nations do not recognize Israel’s occupation of the Golan Heights since 1967 and its annexation in 1981.
On Sunday, the Israeli government unanimously approved a plan presented by its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strengthen Israeli settlements in the Golan Heights at a value of more than $11.13 million, taking advantage of developments in Syria.
On December 8, Syrian factions took control of the capital Damascus and other cities before it, with the withdrawal of regime forces from public institutions and streets, thus ending a 61-year era of Baath Party rule and 53 years of rule by the Assad family.
Taking advantage of developments in Syria, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes in recent days that destroyed warplanes, missiles and defense systems in military sites across the country in a flagrant violation of its sovereignty.
Israel also claimed the collapse of the 1974 disengagement agreement with Syria and occupied the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan.
In the latest development on Sunday, Israel occupied three new villages: Jamla in Daraa province, Mazraat Beit Jinn and Mughr al-Mir in Rif Dimashq province.
