United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres hoped on Saturday that an agreement can be reached to protect Palestinians in the West Bank after Israel decided to suspend the mandate of the Temporary International Presence in Hebron.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement that Guterres was "grateful" to the five countries that contributed to conflict prevention and the protection of Palestinians under the observation mission in Hebron for the past 22 years.
On Friday, the TIPH countries - Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Turkey - condemned in a joint statement the Israeli government's unilateral decision not to extend the observer force's mission in the flashpoint city.
Hundreds of hard-line Jewish settlers guarded by thousands of soldiers live in the heart of Hebron, which has a population of over 200,000 Palestinians.
The TIPH was established after a massacre of Palestinians in 1994.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday he would not extend its mandate, accusing it of bias.
Ankara, however, dismissed the Israeli claim.
"We decisively reject the allegation that the TIPH has been working against Israel, which is presented by Israel as a justification for its decision."
In a series of Twitter posts on Saturday, Omer Celik, spokesman for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), slammed the Israeli move as a "new step to cover up illegalities" and said it must be condemned.
"This Israeli step shows new aggressions are in the planning," he said, urging the world "to be more careful" about the situation in Hebron.
Turkey has observers in the Norway-led team tasked with promoting security for Palestinians in Hebron, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews and has been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian and European officials have also expressed concern and regret over the Israeli decision.
