Türkiye ‘completely’ severs trade with Israel

(MENAFN) Türkiye has officially halted all trade and economic ties with Israel and imposed restrictions on Israeli air traffic, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Friday. The move is the latest escalation in response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which Ankara has condemned as genocide.

Speaking before the Turkish parliament, Fidan declared that Türkiye had “completely cut off” trade with Israel and closed its ports to Israeli ships. He also stated that Turkish airspace is now closed to certain Israeli flights, particularly those carrying weapons or military supplies.

Additionally, Turkish-flagged ships are banned from docking at Israeli ports, while Israeli vessels are barred from entering Turkish ports.

A diplomatic source told Reuters that the new flight restrictions target official Israeli aircraft and those transporting arms, rather than commercial flights passing through Turkish airspace. Port authorities in Türkiye are also reportedly asking shipping agents to certify that their vessels have no ties to Israel and are not carrying hazardous or military cargo destined for the country.

Despite the announcement, an Israeli official cited by The Jerusalem Post suggested skepticism, noting that Türkiye had previously declared similar cutoffs—such as a trade suspension in May—without fully following through.

Relations between Türkiye and Israel have sharply deteriorated since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which began in October 2023 following a Hamas attack on Israel. Türkiye has repeatedly accused Israel of committing war crimes, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan labeling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “the butcher of Gaza” and even suggesting that Netanyahu’s actions surpass those of Adolf Hitler.

Diplomatic ties have steadily unraveled: Türkiye recalled its ambassador in 2023 and formally severed all diplomatic relations with Israel in 2024.

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