West Bank

The Palestinian government has welcomed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's decision to establish an industrial zone in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Palestinian Economy Minister Khaled Al-Osaily said the Turkish support amounts to $10 million and is meant for the internal structure of the industrial zone.

Turkey on Jan. 12 expressed concern over Israel's plans to build new illegal settlements in Palestine's occupied West Bank.

"The move is the latest example of the illegitimate practices of Israel that it accelerated before the new administration takes office in the US," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a written statement.

Turkey is doing all it can to raise the Palestinian cause at all platforms to end "occupation, oppression and genocide policies", President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Nov. 29. 

Turkish presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said on May 20 that Ankara rejects Israel's plan to annex the West Bank and called on the international community to show the same approach.
"Turkey rejects and calls on the world to reject any annexation plan by Israel. Occupation is a crime. The annexation of more Palestinian lands is a crime," Kalın said in a tweet.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on May 19 that the country is terminating all agreements and understandings signed with Israel and the U.S., including on security.

Abbas made the announcement at a Palestinian leadership meeting in Ramallah. The decision came in response to the proposed Israeli annexation of parts of the West Bank.

Israel must stop illegal campaigns and the international community needs to stop "modern vandalism," Turkey's presidential spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said on May 16. 
"Israel's policy of occupation and annexation is an invitation to more conflict and escalation," Kalın said on Twitter.

Israel's attempts to annex the West Bank from Palestinians show "an extremely dangerous mindset aimed at extorting occupied Palestinian lands," Turkey warned on April 24. 

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas has rejected an invitation by the U.S. for a secret meeting between the two parties, its political chief said on March 3.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he has taken steps to build 3,500 new homes on the West Bank, DPA reported. 

"We are building up Jerusalem and the outskirts of Jerusalem. I gave an immediate directive, to deposit plans to build 3500 housing units in E1," the prime minister said.

The United Nations' human rights office on Feb. 12 named 112 companies it said have business ties to Jewish settlements in the West Bank, angering Israel and prompting a Palestinian threat of legal action against the firms.