Turkey expresses concern over new Israeli settlement project

ANKARA

The Turkish government has expressed concern over Israel’s plans to establish a new settlement project on occupied Palestinian territories, in a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry late on Dec. 8. 

The statement recalled a bill currently being discussed in the Knesset that will permit the creation of new settlements of 4,000 homes to be built on Palestinian territories. 

“On this occasion, we want to recall once again that the Israeli government should immediately stop violations of fundamental human rights and international law in the occupied Palestinian territories,” the statement read.  

The move came days after Israel appointed its first ambassador to Ankara after the Mavi Marmara crisis in 2010, where Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists on the Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship. 

Meanwhile, Turkey’s ambassador to Tel Aviv, Kemal Ökem, will take up his position on Dec. 12, a week after his Israeli counterpart, Eitan Na’eh, began his post in Ankara.