Turkey ‘strongly condemns’ Israel for disproportionate use of force against Palestinians

ANKARA

AFP photo

Turkey has “strongly condemned” Israel for use of disproportionate force against Palestinians, calling for an urgent end to “its provocative and arbitrary practices.”

Ankara has been following the tension which started with Israeli security forces’ entry into the al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City, their clashes with Muslim groups and blockage of Muslims’ entry, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement released on Oct. 13.

“We strongly condemn Israeli security forces’ use of disproportionate force in these incidents which have developed as a result of Israel’s insistence on practices against status quo,” the ministry said, recalling that civilians were killed in Israel’s gunfire against demonstrators at the Gaza border and its airstrike on Gaza. 

“The only way to prevent escalation of the tension is Israel abiding by rules of international law in Palestinian territories which it keeps under occupation and, within this framework, it giving an immediate end to provocative and arbitrary practices which target status and holiness of the al-Haram al-Sharif,” the ministry concluded.

A wave of stabbings has hit Israel, Jerusalem and the West Bank since Oct. 3. The attacks along with violent protests in annexed east Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank have led to warnings that a full-scale Palestinian uprising, or third intifada, could erupt.

Unrest has also spread to the Gaza Strip, with clashes along the border in recent days leaving nine Palestinians dead from Israeli fire.