Turkey decries Israeli use of ‘disproportionate force’

Turkey “strongly condemns” Israel for its “provocative and arbitrary practices” and accuses it of wielding “disproportionate force” against Palestinians, according to Turkey’s Hurriyet newspaper.

“We strongly condemn Israeli security forces’ use of disproportionate force in these incidents which have developed as a result of Israel’s insistence on practices against status quo,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry reportedly says in a statement, referring to attacks against Israelis that have been linked to Palestinian allegations that Israel is trying to change the arrangements at Jerusalem’s volatile Temple Mount compound.

“The only way to prevent escalation of the tension is Israel abiding by rules of international law in Palestinian territories which it keeps under occupation and, within this framework, it giving an immediate end to provocative and arbitrary practices which target status and holiness of the al-Haram al-Sharif,” the statement adds.