Turkiye on Monday condemned Israel’s plan to double the population living in the occupied Golan Heights as a bid to “expand its borders.”

Axar.az reports that citing Daily Sabah, "This decision is a new stage in Israel's goal of expanding its borders through occupation," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, warning the plan would "seriously undermine" efforts to bring stability to neighboring Syria after Bashar Assad's ouster.

"This step by Israel is a source of grave concern, taken together with Israel's entry into the area of separation in violation of the 1974 Disengagement Agreement, its advance into adjacent areas and airstrikes in Syria."

The ministry urged the international community to take "appropriate measures" to end the "illegal steps of the Netanyahu government."

The Israeli decision was condemned by several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.