Türkiye has strongly denounced Israel's illegal settlement activities, condemning the expansion of these settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The criticism comes in the context of ongoing Israeli attacks on the civilian population in Gaza, which Türkiye says is "barbaric".
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday, expressing strong disapproval of Israel's approval of a plan to construct around 1,800 settlements on 186 acres of land in East Jerusalem, deeming it entirely unacceptable.
The acts of terror and violence carried out by the Israeli security forces and settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are concrete indicators of Israel's strategy of attrition and intimidation against the Palestinian people and state, it added.
More than 230 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli troops since the start of 2023, according to Palestine's Health Ministry.
At least 35 Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian attacks during the same period, the highest Israeli toll since 2005.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980, a move never recognised by the international community.
In besieged Gaza, the 2.3 million residents live under a crippling Israeli blockade, from land, sea and air, which critics say amounts to collective punishment.
Palestine sees East Jerusalem, along with Gaza, as part of the country, with East Jerusalem as the capital.
Almost 700,000 illegal Israeli settlers live in over 130 settlements dotting the occupied West Bank alongside nearly three million Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation.
Under international law, all Israeli settlements in occupied territories are considered illegal.
