Turkish party head harshly criticizes Israeli raid in Al-Aqsa

By Zafer Fatih Beyaz

ANKARA (AA) - The head of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) on Saturday harshly criticized an Israeli raid on Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

Devlet Bahceli noted that Israeli attacks target not only Palestinians’ freedom of worship but also the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque and said: “Jerusalem is our first qibla, and it will not be ceded.”

Bahceli argued that Israel utilizes violence as a political instrument and wished a swift recovery to Palestinians injured during Israeli attacks.

Israeli forces fired stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber-coated bullets to disperse Muslim worshippers from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims, Friday evening.

According to the Palestine Red Crescent, at least 285 people have been injured in the Old City and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhoods, while Israeli police said six officers were wounded.

Referring to Jewish settlers’ attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank, Bahceli highlighted ongoing efforts to expel Palestinians from their residences.

Recent weeks have seen a serious rise in tensions and violence in the occupied West Bank, particularly in East Jerusalem, as efforts are underway to evict Palestinians to construct Israeli settlements.

Tensions have run high in the Sheikh Jarrah area all through the week as Israeli settlers swarmed in after an Israeli court ordered the eviction of Palestinian families.

The West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is seen as occupied territory under international law, thus making all Jewish settlements there illegal.

Like Turkey and much of the international community, the EU does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty on territories it has occupied since 1967.

Since 2001, the EU has repeatedly called on Israel to end all settlement activity and to dismantle the already existing ones.

* Writing by Ahmet Gencturk