Erdogan condemns Israeli measures in occupied Palestinian territories

ANKARA, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Friday the Israeli practices in occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the decision to build more Jewish settlements, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported on Friday.

Erdogan, in a meeting with the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK), pledged not to normalize relations with Israel until it lifted the siege on the Gaza Strip.

He said the Israeli decision to build 1,600 housing units in a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem “is unacceptable” and noted that Israel wanted to liquidate the Palestinians one by one.

Erdogan called on Israel to immediately stop any measure that would change the conditions on the ground in occupied Jerusalem and lifting the ban on worshippers.

He said these measures would “harm stability in the region.

Turkey’s voice will be high against the Israeli measures in the occupied Palestinian territories because these measures were sabotaging peace in the region, and changing the situations in occupied East Jerusalem.

Turkey’s relations with Israel are still tense since the Jewish state launched its offensive against Gaza Strip in December 2008 and most recently what Ankara’s considered as humiliating its Ambassador in Tel Aviv.

This tension was fueled after the far-right forces reached power in Israel in 2009. These forces are makings its hostile positions against Turkey public and that they were not willing to restore relations with Ankara.

Turkey wants Israel to lift the siege on Gaza, which runs into its third year, and recognize the Turkish role in the region before restoring ties.