Ankara concerned over increasing tension in West Bank

ANKARA

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has voiced concern over the increasing tension at the West Bank following the new outbreak of violence.

“We are deeply concerned about the increasing tension at the West Bank in recent days. We condemn the vile attack on our Holy Book, the Quran, by a group of Jewish settlers that entered a mosque in the city of Urif, located in the Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation,” read the statement issued by the ministry.

“We expect the perpetrators of this unacceptable hate crime to be held accountable for their actions before the judicial system at the earliest opportunity,” the statement read.

The ministry’s statement further condemned the various attacks by settler groups in different parts of the West Bank, as well as the killing of a Palestinian civilian by Israeli forces. “We emphasize once again that it is the legal obligation of Israel under international law to prevent all attacks against the Palestinian local population, their places of worship, houses and property,” it added.

Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç also took to social media to denounce the incident. “The Israeli government must fulfill its obligations under international law by preventing all acts of hatred, including attacks against our religion and sacred book. The perpetrators of this heinous attack must be brought to justice without delay,” he wrote.

Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Ömer Çelik echoed the condemnation, expressing his strong disapproval of the incident. “The assault on the Quran is an offense committed against all of us and humanity as a whole. Islamophobia and hate crimes are crimes against humanity. These acts of hatred are utterly unacceptable,” he declared.

Meanwhile, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk warned that the new outbreak of violence could spiral out of control.

This week, at least 18 people have been killed in the territory – in incursions by the Israeli military or attacks by Palestinians or Jewish settlers.

“These latest killings and the violence, along with the inflammatory rhetoric, serve only to drive Israelis and Palestinians deeper into an abyss,” Türk said in a statement.

So far this year, more than 200 people have died in violence linked to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the vast majority of them being Palestinians.

Deadly violence has flared in recent days in the northern West Bank, a stronghold of Palestinian armed groups where Israel has stepped up military operations.

Turk said this week’s violence was being fuelled by strident political rhetoric and an escalation in the use of advanced military weaponry by Israel.

The U.N. high commissioner said the sharp deterioration was having a terrible impact on both Palestinians and Israelis and called for an immediate end to the violence.

Türk said international human rights law required Israeli authorities to ensure all operations are planned and implemented to prevent lethal force.

Every death caused in such a context requires an effective investigation, he added.

“Israel must urgently reset its policies and actions in the occupied West Bank in line with international human rights standards, including protecting and respecting the right to life,” Türk said.