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Turkey on Friday announced it was severing all economic and trade ties with Israel, citing its ongoing military actions in Gaza and accusing the Israeli government of committing atrocities against Palestinians.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkish ships are now barred from Israeli ports, and Israeli aircraft are prohibited from entering Turkish airspace. The move marks a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
“Israel’s reckless attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran show the mentality of a terrorist state that defies international order,” Fidan said in a statement. He accused Israel of carrying out massacres in Gaza, implementing policies of starvation, and blocking humanitarian aid, resulting in the deaths of thousands of civilians.
Fidan warned that Israel aims to make Gaza “uninhabitable” and to occupy the territory entirely, undermining the possibility of a two-state solution. He also criticized Israeli incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and said the government ignores international law, while extremist ministers and settlers escalate tensions in the region.
The Turkish minister further accused Israel of deliberately heightening tensions with Iran and destabilizing the wider Middle East. Turkey’s response, he said, is coordinated with Qatar and Egypt as part of efforts to find a comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue.
The announcement comes amid growing international criticism of Israeli policies in Gaza, and Turkey’s decision signals a new level of diplomatic and economic pressure on Jerusalem.
*With information from skai.gr
