The United States Administration, which has positioned itself against the entire international community with its unlawful acts concerning Jerusalem and Golan Heights that are occupied by Israel, has now claimed that the illegal settlements in the West Bank were not inconsistent with international law. This is yet another example of the blatant and unlawful attitude of the US Administration aiming to legitimize the illegal practices of Israel.

In this regard, the unfortunate statement made by Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State of the United States, openly disregards the international law, especially the Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016).

Illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories constitute the biggest obstacle to the vision of a two-state solution which is based on the established international parameters for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Just as the international law system cannot be changed by an arbitrary act of a single country, such an action will have no validity with respect to international law.

Turkey, acting together with all responsible members of the international community, will continue to defend the independence of the State of Palestine and the legitimate rights of the brotherly people of Palestine.