Türkiye condemned the recent raid by radical Israeli groups on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday.
"We condemn and find it unacceptable that radical Israeli groups raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem under the protection of Israeli security forces," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
"We call on the Israeli authorities to take the necessary measures immediately so that these practices that violate the sanctity and the status based on international law for Al-Aqsa Mosque are not allowed and tensions do not escalate," it added.
On the occasion of the Jewish new year holiday, radical Jewish settlers raided the mosque compound and Israeli police intervened against the Palestinians protesting the raid.
Last week, Israel announced that it would cordon off the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip ahead of three upcoming Jewish holidays. Palestinians will not be allowed to leave the West Bank or Gaza Strip to enter Israel during the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashana, as well as the Yom Kippur and Sukkot holidays in October.
Ties between Türkiye and Israel froze over after the death of 10 civilians in an Israeli raid on a Turkish flotilla carrying aid for the Gaza Strip in 2010. The two countries once again expelled their ambassadors in 2018 after another bitter falling out and relations since remained tense. In recent months, however, the two countries have been working on a rapprochement.
Despite the recent rapprochement, Turkish officials continue to criticize Israel’s policies targeting Palestinians, including the illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Known for its unbreakable solidarity with Palestinians, Türkiye has been voicing support for the Palestinian cause in the international realm for decades. Turkish authorities emphasize that the only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East is through a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue within the framework of international law and United Nations resolutions.