Türkiye claims Israel intends to ‘expand borders’ by occupying the Golan
Türkiye has criticized Israel for its plans to increase the number of Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Türkiye has expressed its strong condemnation of Israel following announcements regarding plans to increase the number of Jewish settlements in the occupied Golan Heights, ostensibly to address “potential threats.”
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expanded their operations into the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights as a response to the deteriorating situation in Damascus, where the government of Bashar Assad has faced off against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other militant factions.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that his cabinet greenlighted a strategy to augment the Jewish population in the illegally occupied Golan Heights, emphasizing that this action is crucial for Israel’s security.
“We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Netanyahu stated regarding the Golan Heights.
In a statement released on Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry characterized the decision taken by Netanyahu’s administration 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 their movements in the Golan Heights, the IDF has conducted bombardments on airfields, anti-aircraft installations, and weapons depots throughout Syria to preempt the transfer of arms to HTS and other armed groups, some of which have backing from Türkiye.
“Israel’s ongoing actions seriously undermine the efforts to bring peace and stability to Syria and further increase tensions in the region,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry asserted.
Ankara has called upon 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 captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and were unilaterally annexed in 1981. The international community, with the exception of the United States, does not recognize West Jerusalem’s claim to the territory. Washington officially acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019 under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Currently, around 20,000 Jewish settlers reside in the Golan Heights, alongside a similar number of Syrian Druze inhabitants. Approximately 30 Jewish settlements in the area are deemed illegal under international law.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
Earlier this month, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expanded their operations into the buffer zone between Syria and the Golan Heights as a response to the deteriorating situation in Damascus, where the government of Bashar Assad has faced off against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and other militant factions.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that his cabinet greenlighted a strategy to augment the Jewish population in the illegally occupied Golan Heights, emphasizing that this action is crucial for Israel’s security.
“We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Netanyahu stated regarding the Golan Heights.
In a statement released on Monday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry characterized the decision taken by Netanyahu’s administration 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 their movements in the Golan Heights, the IDF has conducted bombardments on airfields, anti-aircraft installations, and weapons depots throughout Syria to preempt the transfer of arms to HTS and other armed groups, some of which have backing from Türkiye.
“Israel’s ongoing actions seriously undermine the efforts to bring peace and stability to Syria and further increase tensions in the region,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry asserted.
Ankara has called upon 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 captured by Israel during the 1967 Six-Day War and were unilaterally annexed in 1981. The international community, with the exception of the United States, does not recognize West Jerusalem’s claim to the territory. Washington officially acknowledged Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights in 2019 under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Currently, around 20,000 Jewish settlers reside in the Golan Heights, alongside a similar number of Syrian Druze inhabitants. Approximately 30 Jewish settlements in the area are deemed illegal under international law.
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
