Türkiye on Thursday condemned the Israeli parliament's passing of a resolution rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, calling it an indication that Israel disregards international law.
The resolution passed in the 120-member Knesset with 68 votes in favor and just nine against it early on Thursday.
The vote, which drew swift criticism from the Palestinian leadership and the international community, is largely symbolic but laid down a marker ahead of a planned address by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the U.S. Congress next Wednesday.
"The acceptance of a resolution in Israeli parliament rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state is another indication that Israel disregards international law and agreements," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
It labeled the decision as "null and void."
The establishment of an independent, sovereign Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, is a requirement of international law, the ministry added.
It also condemned the provocation by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir at the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli security forces. The far-right extremist politician forced his way into Al-Aqsa Mosque on Thursday morning.
"Israel must put an end to such actions that will further increase tensions in the region," the statement said.
The resolution in the Knesset said the establishment of a Palestinian state on land occupied by the Israeli army would "pose an existential danger to the State of Israel and its citizens, perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and destabilize the region."
In February, the Knesset voted in favor of a government decision to reject unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state.
Israel has killed at least 38,848 people, mostly civilians, in Gaza since the conflict began on Oct. 7, according to figures from the local health officials.
The war began after Palestinian resistance group Hamas's attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, according to Israeli figures.
The war has destroyed much of Gaza's housing and other infrastructure, leaving almost all of the population displaced and short of food and drinking water.
The Palestinian Authority said Israel's hard-right ruling coalition was "plunging the region into an abyss."
Neighbouring Jordan echoed Türkiye's view, saying the vote "constitutes a serious violation of international law and a challenge to the international community."
France expressed "consternation," noting that the text was "in contradiction" with multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.
U.N. chief Antonio Guterres was "very disappointed" by the Israeli parliament's move. "You can't vote away the two-state solution," his spokeserson Stephane Dujarric said.
Guterres has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza war, saying Wednesday that "the humanitarian situation... is a moral stain on us all."
The U.S. on Thursday reiterated its position of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told reporters it is the "only future" Washington sees "in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side. Without that, peace will be nearly impossible to achieve."
"I will let Israeli officials speak to their legislative chamber and actions that that chamber takes but the United States is committed to advancing enduring peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. And we believe that the practical way for that is a two-state solution, a Palestinian state that is standing side by side with Israel," State Department deputy spokeserson Vedant Patel told reporters.
"We believe that is the only way to advance an enduring peace," he said.
Separately, the White House acknowledged Thursday that it had no firm date for any talks between Netanyahu and President Joe Biden, saying only that it had "every expectation" the two men would meet, dependent on the president's recovery from COVID-19.
