Turkey blast Israel over land seizure plan

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Palestinian protesters run away from a stun grenade fired by Israeli troops during a protest against the expansion of the nearby Jewish settlement in this March 9 file photo. AP photo

Turkey has condemned Israeli plans to confiscate 123.5 hectares of Palestinian-owned land in the West Bank village of Al-Walaja for conversion into a park for surrounding settlements as another blow to peace efforts in the region.

“Israel’s continuing settlement activities on occupied Palestinian land, despite all warnings by the international community, are unacceptable. This negative stance of Israel is blocking the peace process, and the de facto situation it creates on the ground is undermining the vision for a two-state solution,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement late March 22.

The statement also expressed indignation over “the Israeli Parliament’s intention to pass legal arrangements aimed at allocating funds in support of settlement activities and introducing tax privileges to those who finance settlement projects.”