Türkiye condemns Israeli plan to expand illegal settlements

Türkiye has condemned Israel's recent approval of plans to expand illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and to retroactively legalise two settlements.

Turkish Foreign Ministry on Friday condemned the approval of 25 separate projects involving the construction of 4,427 new settlement units in the occupied West Bank on Thursday and to legalise the settlements "Mitzpeh Dani" and "Oz V'agon," which had been "considered illegal even under Israeli laws."

These "one-sided" steps escalate tensions in the region and harm the groundwork for peace, it noted.

The Foreign Ministry urged Israel to put an end to these steps, which violate international law and jeopardise the two-state solution process.

READ MORE: Israel's new plan: Build a ring of settlements and go deeper into Palestine

European nations also object to plan

Fifteen European nations also urged Israel to drop plans for thousands more settler homes in the West Bank, warning that they "stand in the way" of lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

"The new housing units would constitute an additional obstacle to the two-state solution," said the countries in a statement issued by their foreign ministries.

"Israeli settlements are in clear violation of international law and stand in the way of a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians," they added.

The 15 European countries signing up to Friday's statement include France, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden.

READ MORE: EU deems Israel's settlement policy illegal