Turkey slammed Israel on Tuesday for demolishing Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem, calling the action part of “aggressive” policies to forcefully change the holy city’s demographic makeup.
In a written statement, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said the demolition was yet another example of Israel’s “aggressive occupation” policies.
“THE GOVERNMENT MUST STOP ITS ILLEGAL ACTIONS”
“We strongly condemn such [Israeli] acts towards changing the demographic structure of Jerusalem,” said the statement, calling on Israel to stop illegal actions that damage hopes for a two-state solution. In addition, the statement urged the international community to protect the historical and legal status of Jerusalem and the rights of Palestinians.
On Monday, bulldozers accompanied by hundreds of Israeli soldiers moved into the neighborhood of Wadi Homs in East Jerusalem and began to raze several buildings in the area.
Israeli authorities claim that the buildings were constructed without a permit.