DAMASCUS, Syria, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem criticized the U.N. Security Council for not doing enough to end Israeli settlement activity.
The minister in a letter to a U.N. committee on Palestinian issues complained Israeli violations were nearly a daily occurrence, the official Syrian Arab News Agency reports.
Moallem criticized the international community for its inability to curb what he described as flagrant violations of international law.
His comments were echoed by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who told the Jordanian al-Rai newspaper that Ankara would not stand for Israel's current course of actions.
"We must solve our regional problems without resorting to major powers outside the Middle East," he added, noting regional problems require regional solutions.
Moellem added that Damascus felt there was a solution to regional problems in various peace summits sponsored by Middle East states and U.N. resolutions, particularly Resolution 497 that says Israeli claims to the Golan Heights region are invalid.
