Türkiye imposes trade restrictions on Israel over Gaza war

ANKARA

Türkiye has said it will impose trade restrictions on Israel starting April 9 over the war in Gaza, covering a range of products including cement, steel and iron construction materials.

The new measures come a day after Türkiye said Israel had blocked its attempt to airdrop aid to Gaza.

"This decision will remain in place until Israel declares a ceasefire immediately and allows adequate and uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza," the Trade Ministry announced on social media on April 9. It attached a list of 54 products slated for export restrictions.

The day before, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan vowed reprisals against Israel for blocking Türkiye's air force from airdropping aid to Gaza, saying they would be implemented "step by step" and "without delay."

The export measures were approved by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he added.

"There is no excuse for Israel's obstruction of our aerial delivery of aid to starving Gazans. In response, we have decided to take a series of new measures against Israel," Fidan said.

"These measures will continue until Israel declares a ceasefire and allows humanitarian aid to reach Gaza without interruption."

Israel's military campaign has killed over 33,200 people in Gaza according to the territory's Hamas-run Health Ministry. Türkiye has been one of the harshest critics of Israel's war on Gaza.

"Today the whole world is looking forward to the day when the Israeli authorities will be brought to justice. For the first time in history, everyone condemns Israel and curses its crimes," Fidan stated.

The minister reported that the aid sent to Egypt from Türkiye, to be delivered to Gaza both by sea and air, surpassed 42,000 tons. Furthermore, he informed that a ninth aid ship is currently en route to the region.

Türkiye's trade action against Israel follows domestic protests against the government for failing to cut off trade sooner.

Turkish police on April 6 detained a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters who took to Istanbul's central Taksim Square to urge the government to cut trade ties.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said an investigation had been opened into the heavy-handed police response to the protest, and two police officers were suspended from duty.

The war in Gaza has put an end to a gradual thawing in Turkish-Israeli relations that culminated with the reappointment of ambassadors in 2022.

Erdoğan has recalled Ankara's envoy to Tel Aviv and pushed for Israeli commanders and political leaders to stand trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Türkiye's exports to Israel stood at $5.43 billion last year, down from $7.03 billion in 2022, according to the Turkish Exporters' Union and statistics agency TÜİK.

Israel vows response

Israel vowed Tuesday 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.