Turkey condemns Israeli move for new settlements in east Jerusalem

Turkey on Monday condemned Israeli government's latest move to expand settlement in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa, said a Turkish official statement. "At a time when the international community is mainly focused on developments in Syria, Israel's insistence on continuing with new settlements that defy the international law constitutes a grave mistake which undermines efforts to revive the peace process and a vision for a two-state solution," said the statement issued by the Turkish Foreign Ministry in response to a new tender launched by the Israeli Housing Ministry for the construction of 130 more housing units. The statement urged Israel to "fulfill its obligations from the international law and halt all activity that hurts grounds for peace," saying that the international community should raise a voice against Israel's settlement policies.