Ankara condemns West Bank Itamar attack, Israeli settlements

Turkey has condemned Friday's gruesome attack in the settlement town of Itamar in the West Bank in which an Israeli family was fatally stabbed as they slept, but also slammed the Israeli government's decision to build new settlements in response to the attack as "unacceptable." Israeli settlements in the West Bank are a clear violation of international law, said a Foreign Ministry statement dated March 12 but sent to the press late Monday. The statement added that the enlargement of settlements on any pretext is "unacceptable." The statement said that no matter the justification, terror attacks on innocent children, violating their fundamental right to life, are "also unacceptable." Turkey's statement added that it hopes the perpetrators will be swiftly brought to justice.