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Saturday, March 20, 2010

Turkish prime minister urges Israel to give up new settlement plan in East Jerusalem

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday urged Israel to give up its plan to build new dwellings in East Jerusalem, calling the practice " unacceptable," the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

"They are in an effort to root out Palestine," Erdogan was quoted of telling a meeting of his Justice and Development Party in Ankara, referring to Israel's plan to expand settlements in East Jerusalem.

He said Israel should refrain from steps that will change conditions in Jerusalem and hamper the peace process, noting that Turkey is "raising voices" against Israel's moves "sabotaging peace and order in East Jerusalem."

Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967 and later annexed, are considered by international community as Israeli settlements and one of the main obstacles to Israeli- Palestinian peace process.

Earlier this month, the Israeli Interior Ministry approved building 1,600 new settler homes in East Jerusalem, just one day after U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell announced that the Israeli and Palestinian sides had agreed to hold indirect talks.

Source: People's Daily.
Link: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90853/6925409.html.

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