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Türkiye lambastes illegal Israeli settlers for Quran desecration

Turkish Foreign Ministry demands strong action against perpetrators of "unacceptable hate crime" after a group of Israeli extremists stormed a mosque in Urif town of occupied West Bank and ripped up the Muslim holy book.

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Palestinian residents and human rights groups have long complained about Israel's refusal to halt settler violence. / Photo: AA

Türkiye has condemned the ripping up of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, by Israeli settlers who vandalised a mosque in the town of Urif in the occupied West Bank.

"We condemn the attack perpetrated by a group of Jewish settlers on our holy book, the Quran, by entering a mosque in the town of Urif, located in the Palestinian territories under Israeli occupation," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"We expect the perpetrators of this unacceptable hate crime to be brought to justice as soon as possible," said the statement.

Türkiye expressed concern regarding the renewed tensions in the region in recent days.

The ministry also strongly condemned the attacks perpetrated by illegal settler groups in various parts of the occupied West Bank and the murdering of a Palestinian civilian by Israeli forces.

It also noted that Israel has the obligation under international law to prevent all attacks on the Palestinian local population, their places of worship, residences and property, as well as to prevent hate crimes, including those motivated by hatred of Islam.

'The attack was unprecedented': Israeli settlers burn Palestinian towns

High tensions

Tensions have been running high across the occupied West Bank in recent months amid repeated Israeli incursions into Palestinian towns.

Nearly 180 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces since the start of this year, according to the Health Ministry.

At least 25 Israelis have also been killed in separate attacks during the same period.

The international community opposes illegal settlements on occupied lands of Palestine.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's most far-right government ever is dominated by illegal settler leaders and their loyalists.

Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

It withdrew troops from Gaza in 2005 and has since imposed a harsh blockade from land, air and sea on the tiny Palestinian enclave, disabling the entire population from leaving or entering Gaza and choking the import and export of goods.

Over 700,000 illegal Israeli settlers now live in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem.