Turkey reacts to planned US embassy move to Jerusalem

By Merve Aydogan and Burcu Arik

ANKARA

Turkey’s presidential spokesman on Monday reacted to the U.S. embassy’s planned move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"Palestine is not alone. Jerusalem is not alone. Occupation will end and truth and justice will prevail," Ibrahim Kalin wrote on his official Twitter account.

In a second tweet, he said: "Every Palestinian killed by Israel in the occupied territories today is another dark spot, another crime added to Israel’s wall of shame.

"The so-called civilized world must be ashamed of its silence in the face of this systematic barbarism."

Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul tweeted: "We cannot accept the unlawful attacks against Jerusalem’s status and Palestinians’ fundamental rights. Palestine and Jerusalem are not alone."

Mahir Unal, the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s spokesman, also took to Twitter to support Palestine and its cause.

"Al-Quds is a red line for Muslims and the capital of the independent State of Palestine. Palestine is not alone. Under the leadership of @RT_Erdogan, Turkey will continue to stand in solidarity with the oppressed and to stand up for righteousness, justice and conscience," Unal tweeted.

Tweeting in English, Kalin, Gul and Unal used "#Nakba70" in their statements.

Later, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman officially announced the relocation of Washington’s Israel embassy from Tel Aviv to West Jerusalem’s Arnona district.

The relocation coincides with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s establishment in 1948 -- an event Palestinians refer to as the “Nakba” or the “The Catastrophe”.

Trump sparked international outcry last December when he unilaterally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and vowed to relocate Washington's embassy to the city.

Since Monday morning, at least 43 Palestinian demonstrators have been killed -- and hundreds more injured -- by Israeli army forces deployed along the other side of the border, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Palestine-Israel conflict, with Palestinians seeking East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.