Exporters voice support for trade restrictions on Israel

ISTANBUL

Türkiye’s main exporters’ association has voiced support for the government’s decision to impose trade restrictions on Israel over the war in Gaza.

“We stand by our state in any sanction when the national interests of our country require it and to end humanitarian tragedies,” the Türkiye Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) said in a statement on social media platform X.

TİM represents 27 sectors and more than 140,000 exporters.

The association said that it always “favors free trade” but it supports the government’s decision regarding Israel.

On April 9, the Trade Ministry announced that exports of 54 types of products to Israel were restricted with immediate effect.

Those products include cement steel and iron construction materials and chemical fertilizers.

Türkiye’s exports to Israel stood at $5.43 billion last year, down from $7.03 billion in 2022, according to official data.

In the first three months of 2024, exports to Israel declined by 21.6 percent from the same period of last year to $1.14 billion. Türkiye’s overall export revenues were $63.7 billion in January-March.

Steel and cement exports to Israel were down 53.5 percent and 40 percent, respectively, in the first quarter of this year from a year ago, while iron shipments fell nearly 25 percent.

Basic needs such as food, medical products, medicine, kitchenware and clothing were excluded from the restrictions, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat told state-run broadcaster TRT Haber, adding that the decision regarding those products could be reconsidered depending on developments.

He also commented on speculation on social media suggesting that Türkiye was selling jet fuel to the Israeli military.

Bolat noted that there are two companies in Türkiye which sell jet fuel.

“Many tourists came to Türkiye from Israel as civilian flights continued for a while. Those flights were canceled a few months ago,” he added.

“The fuel sold to Israel is the fuel sold to the planes of Israeli airline companies that bring tourists. Those fuel sales were recorded as export,” Bolat said.

Meanwhile, Israel vowed on April 9 to take steps against Türkiye, accusing it of violating trade deals between the two countries.

"Türkiye is unilaterally violating the trade agreements with Israel, and Israel will adopt the necessary steps against it," Israel's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

In a post on X, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that he had contacted organizations in the United States and asked them to stop investing in Türkiye and refrain from importing Turkish goods.