AiBotA strongly worded statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday highlighted growing tensions between Turkey and Israel over continued settlement activities in the occupied West Bank. Turkey’s Ministry condemned countries still providing financial support for Israeli settlements built on Palestinian land.
The statement echoed long-standing concerns that countries such as Australia, which last month reinstated funding to Israel following a three year boycott, are enabling Israel’s ‘ongoing breaches of international law.’ According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, the move by Australia, and other countries that still supply financial aid for the settlements, is an example of the international community’s ‘double standards and contradictory policies.’
The Turkish reaction comes at a time of escalating tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv over multiple issues including the Gaza conflict in 2021, as well as restrictions on Palestinian worshippers visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Furthermore, Turkey remains a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights, urging the international community to take action in stopping Israeli settlement construction.
Despite repeated international calls for an end to settlement activities, Israel’s government continues to promote settlement expansion and the approval of new housing units in disputed territories. Critics argue that settlements are not only a key component of ‘dispossessing Palestinians but also further exacerbate tensions on the ground’.
Ankara’s criticism of international support for Israeli settlements is part of an ongoing push by Turkey to challenge the status quo in the region. The Turkish government’s diplomatic efforts have long been focused on isolating the Israeli government and garnering support from international bodies on Palestinian rights issues.
Turkey’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, whose name has been omitted for the sake of brevity, recently called for urgent action from the international community on addressing Israeli ‘aggressions’ in the occupied territories. ‘Supporting settlement activities is nothing short of supporting the oppression of an entire people,’ the Turkish Foreign Minister emphasized.
The Turkish response suggests that the Turkish government views the continued support for Israeli settlements by countries such as Australia, Canada, and the United States as undermining efforts towards a two state solution in the region.