Turkey imposes export restrictions on Israel until Gaza ceasefire
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[April 09, 2024] By
Tuvan Gumrukcu and Burcu Karakas
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey restricted exports of a wide range of products
to Israel on Tuesday until a ceasefire is declared in Gaza, in Ankara's
first significant measure against Israel after six months of war.
Israel said it would respond to the measures, which include curbs on
exports of steel, fertilizer and jet fuel, with its own restrictions on
products from Turkey.
Turkey has denounced Israel for its campaign on Gaza, which was launched
following Palestinian militant group Hamas' Oct. 7 rampage. Ankara has
called for an immediate ceasefire, supported steps to try Israel for
genocide, and sent thousands of tons of aid for Gazans.
However, Ankara also maintained commercial ties with Israel despite its
strong rhetoric, prompting a domestic backlash. The trade restrictions,
which come into force on Tuesday, follow Israel's rejection of a Turkish
request to take part in an aid air-drop operation into Gaza.
The Trade Ministry said the measures would apply to the export of
products from 54 different categories, including iron, marble, steel,
cement, aluminium, brick, fertilizer, construction equipment and
products, aviation fuel, and more.
"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," it said.
Responding to the measures, Israel's foreign minister said Turkey had
"unilaterally violated" trade agreements with Israel.
Israel Katz said that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan "is again
sacrificing the economic interests of the people of Turkey in order to
support Hamas, and we will respond in kind".
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/09/images/ads/current/elkhartgrain_sda_SFARM_2024.png)
Shortly after the Israel-Hamas war started, Turkey and Israel withdrew
their ambassadors while regularly trading barbs. Tuesday's move is the
first significant measure taken by Ankara against Israel since the start
of the conflict.
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![](../images/040924PIX/busine72.jpg)
Palestinians inspect destroyed residential buildings, after the
Israeli military withdrew most of its ground troops from the
southern Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and
Hamas, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip April 7, 2024.
REUTERS/Ahmed Zakot/File Photo
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2024/Apr/09/images/ads/current/guzzardos_lda_GENERIC_040524.png)
DOMESTIC BACKLASH
In recent weeks, Erdogan has faced growing criticism over his
government's continuing commercial ties to Israel, prompting some
anti-government protests and denting popular support.
On Saturday, police in Istanbul detained dozens of protestors
demanding an end to the trade with Israel. Erdogan's stance toward
Israel and the conflict in Gaza was a key factor for some of his
party's losses in March 31 local elections, with the Islamist New
Welfare Party (Yeniden Refah) gaining support on the back of a more
hardline stance on Gaza.
According to the data published by the Turkish Exporters Assembly
(TIM), while trade with Israel has fallen since Oct. 7, exports to
Israel have increased each month in 2024 so far. However, total
exports in the first quarter of the year amounted to $1.1 billion,
down 21.6% year-on-year, TIM data showed.
Turkey had already stopped sending Israel any goods that could be
used for military purposes, the Trade Ministry said.
Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and other
opposition parties supported the decision to restrict exports to
Israel, but said the measures did not go far enough.
The CHP called for a total halt to trade with Israel, while other
parties urged the government to block its airspace and ports to
planes and vessels heading to Israel.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu and Burcu Karakas; Additional reporting
by Ari Rabinovitch in Jerusalem and Ece Toksabay in Ankara; Editing
by Andrew Heavens and Ros Russell)
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