Ankara: The Turkish Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s approval of the “E1” project, which will separate East Quds from the West Bank and expand settlements seized from Palestinians.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement criticizing Israel’s decision, stating: “We condemn Israel’s approval of the settlement construction plan in the E1 area. This step, which will effectively separate the West Bank and East Quds, ignores international law and UN resolutions, and targets the territorial integrity of the State of Palestine, the basis for the two-state solution, and the hopes for lasting peace.”

The ministry emphasized the importance of establishing an independent, sovereign Palestinian state, with East Quds as its capital, maintaining geographical unity within the 1967 borders, as the only way to achieve peace in the region. It reiterated Turkey’s support for the Palestinian cause and their struggle for sovereignty.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich a
nnounced the approval of the settlement plan, which involves the construction of 3,401 new settlement units near the Ma’ale Adumim settlement and 3,515 units in the surrounding area. This plan is seen as a significant move to connect Ma’ale Adumim to Al-Quds, effectively cutting off Arab connections between Ramallah and Bethlehem, and complicating the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Quds as its capital.