Turkey has announced it will restrict exports to Israel after protests against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s economic ties to Israel. Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has lost support among voters in Turkey, losing to the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in the 2024 Turkish local elections on March 31.
Turkey’s Ministry of Trade stated the export restrictions would be in place until a ceasefire in Gaza is declared: “This decision will remain in place until Israel, under its obligations emanating from international law, urgently declares a ceasefire in Gaza and allows the unhindered flow of sufficient humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.”
In response to the sanctions, Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Israel Katz stated he asked organizations in the United States to stop investments in Turkey and to restrict imports from Turkey, and asked the U.S. Congress to sanction Turkey. Katz also alleged Erdoğan’s sanctions against Israel are in supporting of Hamas, stating on X:
Erdogan @RTErdogan is once again sacrificing the economic interests of the people of Turkey for his support of the Hamas murderers in Gaza who raped, murdered and desecrated the bodies of women, girls, adults and burned children alive. Israel will not submit to violence and extortion and will not condone the unilateral violation of the trade agreements and will take parallel measures against Turkey that will harm the Turkish economy. I ordered to prepare another list of products that Israel will prevent Turkey from exporting and in addition, I ordered to contact countries and organizations in the US, stop investments in Turkey and prevent the import of products from Turkey, and to our friends in the American Congress to examine the violation of the boycott laws and impose sanctions on Turkey accordingly.
