The BBC reports that Turkey has cut off all trade ties with Israel over its offensive in Gaza. The Trade Ministry in Ankara said the measures would remain in place until Israel allowed “uninterrupted and sufficient” flow of aid into Gaza.
Current trade between the two countries is around $7 billion. According to The Guardian, Turkey had in April, stopped the export of iron and steel products and construction equipment to Israel. The Trade Ministry said it would “strictly and decisively implement these new measures.”
In Tel Aviv, Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Turkey’s President Erdogan ”Of breaking agreements by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports. This is how a dictator behaves,” the Guardian quoted him as saying, “disregarding the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen, and ignoring international trade agreements.”
He said Israel would try and make up the gap in the availability of such products through local production and imports from other countries.
The BBC says Erdogan has become increasingly critical of Israel since the Hamas attack of October 2023. He described Israel’s retaliation as “Not any less than what Hitler did.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu responded that “Erdogan who commits genocide against the Kurds, who holds a world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his rule, is the last person who can preach morality to us.”
Israel is under international pressure over its bombardment of Gaza and the humanitarian conditions there are horrific. The UN has warned that over one million people are facing famine conditions and has urged that the land routes for aid should be opened as that is the quickest and cheapest.
Israel has allowed the Erez Crossing into the northern Gaza strip to reopen and aid convoys are getting through but Jordan says its convoy are being attacked by Israeli settlers. As the exchange goes on, all eyes on a proposed 40-day ceasefire that could see the release of 30 Israeli prisoners by Hamas in return for hundreds of Palestinians held by the Jewish state.
