Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia are joining condemnation of Israeli plans announced Sunday to boost the Israeli population in the Golan Heights, a territory captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War and effectively annexed by Israel in a move not recognized by much of the international community.
A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement says the decision marks a “new stage in Israel’s goal of expanding its borders through occupation,” adding that Ankara is concerned that the move would harm efforts to establish peace and stability in Syria.
“The international community must show the necessary reaction to Israel and ensure that the illegal activities of [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu’s government come to an end,” the statement reads.
Qatar also condemns the decision, calling it “a new episode in a series of Israeli aggressions on Syrian territories and a blatant violation of international law.”
In a statement, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry issues a “strong condemnation and denunciation” of the decision, accusing Israel of “continued sabotaging of Syria’s prospects for restoring its security and stability.”
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From the Liveblog of
Monday, December 16, 2024
