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Turkey has announced the suspension of trade with Israel as of Thursday, citing the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. This bold move comes after a series of events that have heightened the geopolitical strife in the region.
This decision led to strong criticism from the Israeli foreign minister.
Turkey’s trade minister on Thursday said “Export and import transactions related to Israel have been stopped, covering all products.”
The Turkish Trade minister added saying “Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures until the Israeli Government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
Last year, trade between the two countries amounted to almost $7bn (£5.6bn).
Why did Turkey restrict the trade?
The Turkish government’s decision was made public last month when it imposed trade restrictions on Israel. Israel’s refusal to take part in the aid air-drop operations for Gaza and its ongoing military assault prompted the restriction from Turkey.
Tensions have existed between the two countries since 2010. The diplomatic connections between Turkey and Israel were terminated in 2010 over the deaths of ten pro-Palestinian Turkish activists during battles with Israeli commandos on a Turkish-owned ship trying to break Israel’s maritime blockade of Gaza.
Even though diplomatic ties were restored in 2016, they were again strained in 2018 due to the expulsion of top diplomats from both nations due to Israel’s actions along the Gaza–Israel border.
The current trade suspension is a reflection of Turkey’s strong criticism against Israel’s military activities in Gaza and support for the palestinian cause. President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been outspoken in his criticism of Israel, drawing parallels between its acts and those of historical tyrants.
On the other hand, Erdoğan has been accused of acting like a ‘dictator’ by Israeli officials. Israel Katz said on X that Mr Erdogan was ignoring the concerns of Turkish nationals and businesspeople, and breaking international trade agreements.
He added, the foreign minister of Israel had been instructed to find alternatives for trade with Turkey, with the focus on local production and imports from countries other than Turkey.
Tensions between the two once-close allies, which have gotten worse since the beginning of the Gaza crisis, would likely increase as a result of the trade restrictions now imposed.
About Humanitarian Tragedy in Gaza
Since October 7, when Hamas militants killed an estimated 1,136 Israeli citizens and took about 250 people hostages. Israel has launched soldiers into Gaza and blasted the region, killing over 34,546 Palestinians while 77,816 are found wounded, according to the health ministry administered by Hamas.
Early in April, Turkey’s commerce ministry issued export restrictions to Israel, prohibiting the sale of construction equipment and iron and steel items.
Aid from UN
The humanitarian tragedy in Gaza has been a point of concern for many years now. A recent UN-backed assessment indicated that over a million people in the northern Gaza are facing catastrophic hunger, with famine imminent by May. In response to the crisis, the White House announced that a pier built by US military to facilitate the flow of aid into Gaza would be operational within days.
Help the people of Gaza | Click Here
Israel, on the other hand, denies limiting aid deliveries and blames the UN for not distributing it to those in need within Gaza.
The trade suspension by Turkey is likely to have significant economic repercussions for both countries. It also raises questions about the future of diplomatic relations and other broader implications for regional stability. The humanitarian tragedy in Gaza has once again become a flashpoint for international diplomacy, with Turkey taking a firm stance against Israel’s actions.
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