Turkey v. Israel: "Occupied Territories Belong to Palestinians" Israel today

Ankara reacted angrily to the Prime Minister's decision, published in "Israel Today", to build thousands of units in Judea and Samaria • "Israel's illegal steps are not accepted"

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan // Photo: AFP

The Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted angrily to an article published in "Israel Today" according to which the prime minister intends to approve the construction of 5,400 housing units in Judea and Samaria. 

A special statement issued by the ministry in English read: "The reports of the approval of construction in the illegal settlements in the West Bank by Prime Minister Netanyahu are the latest example of Israel's position as an occupying power while completely ignoring the United Nations decision. 

The statement added that this was proof that Israel "did not abandon its annexation plans" and that the statements of the countries that signed normalization agreements with it in order to prevent annexation were "nothing but deception." 

"The Occupied Palestinian Territories belong to the Palestinian people. This fact cannot be forgotten. We will continue to stand by our Palestinian brethren and defend their just cause," the statement said. 

Earlier today, it was announced that Erdogan had given his blessing to a conference on the "liberation of Jerusalem" under the title "One Heart for Jerusalem."

A statement from President Erdogan said, "Whoever normalizes his relationship with the occupier of Jerusalem is betraying the legacy of Salah a-Din."

The growing preoccupation of the Erdogan regime in Jerusalem culminated over the weekend during which the Turkish president declared that Jerusalem "is our city." 

The Turkish president added that "our ancestors showed the respect they acquire for Jerusalem by taking great care to maintain their appreciation for the city. Jerusalem is our city, it is our own city."

When Erdogan referred to the Ottoman ancestors, he noted that the one who built the walls and gates of Jerusalem that stand today is the glorious Sultan Suleiman.

By the way, with or without intent, he was referring to a sultan whose mother was Jewish.