Türkiye on Monday denounced an Israeli plan to double the population of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, describing it as an attempt to "expand its borders."

A statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry said: “We strongly condemn Israel’s decision to expand illegal settlements in the Golan Heights, occupied since 1967. This decision represents a new stage in Israel’s goal of expanding its borders through occupation.”

She added, according to Agence France-Presse, that "Israel's current steps seriously undermine efforts to establish peace and stability in Syria, and exacerbate tensions in the region. The international community must respond."

In the same context, Germany urged Israel, on Monday, to "abandon" the plan to double the population of the occupied Golan Heights in southwestern Syria.

"It is absolutely clear, under international law, that this area under Israeli control belongs to Syria, and that Israel is therefore an occupying power," said German Foreign Ministry spokesman Christian Wagner.

He added that Berlin calls on Israel to "abandon this plan" announced by the Israeli government on Sunday.

The Israeli government approved a plan on Sunday to double the population of the Golan Heights, but indicated that it did not want to enter into a conflict with Syria, after it took control of the buffer zone where the United Nations is deployed, following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

Israel occupied most of the Golan Heights in 1967 and declared its annexation in 1981, in a move recognized only by the United States.

In 2019, during Donald Trump's first presidential term, the United States became the only country to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan.