Turkey halts trade ties with Israel over Gaza war

KABUL (Pajhwok): Turkey has suspended all trade ties with Israel in protest over the war in Gaza, media reports said on Saturday.

Bloomberg news agency quoted Turkey’s trade ministry as saying: “All import and export transactions related to Israel, including all products, have been stopped.”

“Turkey will strictly and decisively implement these new measures until the Israeli government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”

Turkey decided to expand last month’s restriction on some Turkish exports to Israel due to the “worsening humanitarian tragedy in Palestine,” said the statement, adding that work was underway to make sure that Palestinians were not adversely affected.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz also confirmed that Ankara had banned imports from and exports to his country through Turkish ports.

He accused Turkey of violating trade agreements with Israel and added Tel Aviv would work to create immediate alternatives by increasing local manufacturing and finding other suppliers.

The move came a day after Turkey announced plans to join South Africa’s case at the United Nations’ highest court as a plaintiff, accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Palestinian territory.

On Friday, Colombia had also cut diplomatic ties with Israel over its war in the Gaza Strip, which human rights advocates and other experts have warned could amount to genocide.

Since the beginning of war in Gaza on October 7, more than 34,500 Palestinians have lost their lives so far in attacks by Israeli forces.

kk/mud