Türkiye on Wednesday condemned Israel over its announcement of a major expansion to its military operation in Gaza, underlining that the move risks regional tensions.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said statements on expanding operations in Gaza and settlement expansion in the Israeli-occupied West Bank marked “yet another demonstration of Israel’s blatant disregard for international law and its complete detachment from the pursuit of peace.”
It called on the international community to take a stance to protect holy sites, prevent provocations and halt Israel’s efforts to expand its territory through occupation.
It also slammed a visit by Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City.
“We condemn the raid by a member of the Israeli government on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound today,” the Foreign Ministry said. “This action by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu’s accomplices is a dangerous decision that will again aggravate tensions in the region.”
Far Ben-Gvir on Wednesday forced his way, along with illegal settlers, into the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem, marking a new provocation amid the ongoing war on Gaza.
Israel began a surprise aerial campaign on Gaza on March 18 and has since killed more than 1,000 victims and injured over 2,500, shattering a January cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
More than 50,400 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in Israel’s military onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.
The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
Syria file
Meanwhile, tensions have been running high between Türkiye and Israel in Syria as the latter continued attacks on the war-torn country just as Damascus is trying to achieve stability.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Thursday Israel is concerned about the “negative role” Turkey is playing in Syria, Lebanon and other regions.
“They are doing their utmost to have Syria as a Turkish protectorate. It’s clear that is their intention,” he told a news conference in Paris.
Ankara has often criticized Israel for its actions in Syria for driving instability.
The Israeli army seized ground in the southwest after dictator Bashar Assad was toppled.
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