Turkey Suspended all Trade Operations with Israel Over its Attack on Gaza

Picture courtesy: (Khalil Hamra/AP)Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

(The Post News)– Turkey suspended all trade operations with Israel over its attack on Gaza. The Turkish trade ministry firmly announced on Thursday, May 2nd, that all trade operations, exports, and import transactions related to Israel have been suspended, including all products covered by Israel. This suspension will continue to be in place until Israel allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza.

However, Turkey’s decision to restrict exports to Israel for opposing its proposal to drop aid over the Gaza Strip drew a swift retaliatory response and had already further strained relations between the Turkey and Israel alliance. Before the war between Israel and Gaza, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were exploring ways to increase cooperation in energy and trade.

They were seeking a broader rapprochement with other Middle Eastern states as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggered a geopolitical shift in the region by disrupting supply chains and commodity markets. Although they had plans to explore ways to increase trade, things got complicated when the war began to escalate between Gaza and Israel. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had been facing criticism from his country for maintaining trade ties with Israel.

According to the report by Firat Kozok, Selcan Hacaoglu, and Galit Altstein, the countries were involved in trade worth $6.8 billion in 2023, of which 76% were Turkish exports, based on the Turkish Statistical Institute and Israel’s Central Statistics Bureau. Israel’s imports from Turkey totaled $4.6 billion in 2023, making it Israel’s sixth-largest source of imports.

Israel’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, said in a post on the social media platform after the announcement from Turkey, The main imports from Turkey were steel, machinery, minerals, and fuels, as well as fresh produce and food products. It’s a behaviour of a dictator who doesn’t think about the interests of the Turkish people and business community while ignoring international trade agreements.

According to Ron Tomer, president of the Manufacturers’ Association of Israel, in a statement. The Israeli government is determined to create immediate alternatives for trade with Turkey by increasing local manufacturing and finding other suppliers. The head of an umbrella organization for industrialists in Israel called on the government to impose protective tariffs of 100% on all imports from Turkey for the next three years and consider banning some imports altogether.

This is the only way for Erdogan to understand that he cannot toy with them and that his actions will have long-term consequences, although Israel will continue to do all it can to maintain the establishment and expansion of local food and construction factories and break away from dependence on Turkey. This comes after Turkey announced plans to join South Africa’s case at the United Nations regarding the highest court as a plaintiff, accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Palestinian territory.

Israel and Turkey have restored diplomatic ties since last August after a decade of tensions and are exploring ways to increase cooperation. Erdogan added that Hamas militants are freedom fighters and criticized Israel’s. In addition, health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza said more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed. Unlike the US and the European Union, Turkey doesn’t consider the group a terrorist organization.