U.S. desire to take over Greenland unacceptable: Greenland government

U.S. desire to take over Greenland cannot be accepted under any circumstances, said Greenland's government on Monday.

"Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark. As part of the Realm Community, Greenland is also a member of NATO, and the defense of Greenland should therefore be conducted through NATO," the government said in a statement.

"Based on the very positive statement from the 6 NATO member states regarding Greenland, the government of Greenland will increase its efforts to ensure that the defense of Greenland takes place under the auspices of NATO," it said.

The statement said that "All NATO member states, including the United States, have a common interest in the defense of Greenland, and the government coalition in Greenland will therefore work with Denmark to ensure that the dialogue on and development of the defense in Greenland takes place within the framework of NATO cooperation".

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated during a press conference on Monday that NATO is working on the next steps to bolster Arctic security while considering the rights of Greenland. He added that some alliance members have proposed launching a new mission in the region, although there are currently no formal proposals on the table.

Also on Monday, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said that the bloc could step up support for Greenland at Denmark's request, including by deploying troops and expanding military infrastructure such as naval presence and counter-drone capabilities. He warned that any U.S. military takeover of the Arctic territory would cause the end of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Both Denmark and the United States are members of NATO. It was reported that Denmark and the United States will hold talks on the Greenland issue this week.

Greenland and Denmark have repeatedly stressed that the island is not for sale. However, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that the United States will acquire Greenland from Denmark, adding that "utilizing the U.S. military" is always an option.

U.S. desire to take over Greenland unacceptable: Greenland government

Ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and the West Bank have led to multiple deaths, arrests, and rising tensions, as both sides report violence and economic fallout.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a statement on Monday, saying that during operations in the southern Gaza Strip that day, IDF troops killed three "militants" who had crossed the "yellow line" of the military ceasefire. The statement added that IDF forces would remain deployed in the area and would continue operations to eliminate threats.

On the same day, the Palestinian Ministry of the Interior in the Gaza Strip issued a statement saying that Mahmoud Al-Astal, head of the police investigation department in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, was shot and killed. According to sources, Al-Astal was a key member of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). A Palestinian armed group in Gaza, backed by Israel, claimed responsibility for the shooting on Monday.

According to a report by the official Palestinian news agency on Monday, Israeli forces continued their raids across several areas of the West Bank and around Jerusalem, arresting more than 20 Palestinian residents and injuring one person. In some areas, the Israeli forces also conducted house searches, imposed roadblocks, and leveled farmland. Meanwhile, large numbers of Israeli Jewish settlers, under the protection of the Israeli military, entered Palestinian farmlands to graze livestock, damage olive trees, and assault Palestinian shepherds while attempting to seize animals, leading to clashes with local residents.

The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture released a comprehensive report on Monday, saying that in 2025, the agricultural sector in the West Bank suffered systematic attacks by Israeli forces and Israeli Jewish settlers, resulting in direct economic losses exceeding 103 million U.S. dollars, an intensity rarely seen in recent years.

Tensions escalate as IDF operations continue in Gaza, West Bank