Türkiye accuses Israel of aiming to 'expand' by occupying the Golan Heights
Türkiye has expressed its condemnation of Israel’s plans to increase the number of Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Türkiye has criticized Israel following its announcement to double the number of Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights as a means to counter “potential threats.”
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces entered the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights after the government of Bashar Assad in Damascus weakened due to pressure from Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and other militant factions.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his cabinet had sanctioned a plan to grow the Jewish population in the illegally occupied territory, emphasizing its significance for Israel’s security.
“We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Netanyahu commented regarding the Golan Heights.
In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry described Netanyahu’s government decision as “a new stage in Israel’s goal of expanding its borders through occupation.”
“This step by Israel is a source of grave concern, taken together with Israel’s entry into the area of separation in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, its advance into adjacent areas and airstrikes in Syria,” the statement noted.
In addition to its movements in the Golan Heights, the IDF has targeted airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, and arms depots throughout Syria to prevent weapons from reaching HTS and other armed groups, some of which have the backing of Türkiye.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed that “Israel’s ongoing actions seriously undermine the efforts to bring peace and stability to Syria and further increase tensions in the region.”
Ankara has called on the international community to “take the appropriate measures in response to Israel’s actions and ensure an end to the illegal steps of the Netanyahu government.”
The Golan Heights, previously part of Syria’s Quneitra Province, were seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and were unilaterally annexed in 1981.
The claim by West Jerusalem to the region is not recognized by any members of the international community, except for the United States, which officially acknowledged the Golan Heights as under Israeli sovereignty in 2019 under President Donald Trump.
Currently, around 20,000 Jewish settlers reside in the Golan Heights, which is also home to a similar number of Syrian Druze. Approximately 30 Jewish settlements in the area are deemed illegal under international law.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces entered the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights after the government of Bashar Assad in Damascus weakened due to pressure from Hayat Tahrir-al-Sham and other militant factions.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his cabinet had sanctioned a plan to grow the Jewish population in the illegally occupied territory, emphasizing its significance for Israel’s security.
“We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Netanyahu commented regarding the Golan Heights.
In a statement on Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry described Netanyahu’s government decision as “a new stage in Israel’s goal of expanding its borders through occupation.”
“This step by Israel is a source of grave concern, taken together with Israel’s entry into the area of separation in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, its advance into adjacent areas and airstrikes in Syria,” the statement noted.
In addition to its movements in the Golan Heights, the IDF has targeted airfields, anti-aircraft batteries, and arms depots throughout Syria to prevent weapons from reaching HTS and other armed groups, some of which have the backing of Türkiye.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed that “Israel’s ongoing actions seriously undermine the efforts to bring peace and stability to Syria and further increase tensions in the region.”
Ankara has called on the international community to “take the appropriate measures in response to Israel’s actions and ensure an end to the illegal steps of the Netanyahu government.”
The Golan Heights, previously part of Syria’s Quneitra Province, were seized by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and were unilaterally annexed in 1981.
The claim by West Jerusalem to the region is not recognized by any members of the international community, except for the United States, which officially acknowledged the Golan Heights as under Israeli sovereignty in 2019 under President Donald Trump.
Currently, around 20,000 Jewish settlers reside in the Golan Heights, which is also home to a similar number of Syrian Druze. Approximately 30 Jewish settlements in the area are deemed illegal under international law.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
