Palestine hails Turkish export restrictions on Israel amid Gaza onslaught

Israel threatened to hit back at Türkiye over its decision to restrict exports of certain goods, saying they will “appeal to pro-Israel countries and organisations in the US to stop investments in Türkiye and prevent the import of products from Türkiye.”

Israel will "contact countries and organisations in the US to stop investments in Türkiye and to prevent the import of products from Türkiye, and to our friends in the American Congress to examine a violation of the boycott laws and impose sanctions on Türkiye accordingly,” Israel Katz, Tel Aviv’s foreign minister, said on X on Tuesday.

A statement by Katz’s office said he ordered the Foreign Ministry’s economic office to “draw up an extensive list of products that Israel will prevent Türkiye from exporting to Israel.” “Türkiye unilaterally violates the trade agreements with Israel, and Israel will take all necessary measures against it,” the statement said.

Katz also claimed on X that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “is once again sacrificing the economic interests of the people of Türkiye” for his support to Hamas.

“Israel will not submit to violence and blackmail and will not complain about the unilateral violation of the trade agreements and will take parallel measures against Türkiye that will harm the Turkish economy,” Katz said.

Türkiye restricted exports to Israel

Palestinian Economy Minister Mohammed Alamour on Tuesday welcomed a Turkish decision to restrict exports of certain goods to Israel amid Tel Aviv’s inhumane war on Gaza.

In a statement, Alamour said the Turkish decision confirms Türkiye’s support for the Palestinian people and “its relentless efforts to force the (Israeli) occupation government to stop its genocide” in Gaza.

The Turkish decision “is a step in the right direction to implement the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding an immediate ceasefire and providing aid and relief to our people in Gaza."

The economy minister hailed the deep-rooted political and economic relations between Palestine and Türkiye. “Türkiye is the first destination for Palestinian imports,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Türkiye restricted exports of certain products to Israel until it implements a ceasefire and allows a “sufficient and uninterrupted flow" of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“Israel continues to flagrantly violate international law and ignores the international community's numerous calls for ceasefire and uninterrupted humanitarian aid,” the Turkish Trade Ministry said in a statement. Israel has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians since an October 7 cross-border incursion by Palestinian group Hamas which claimed 1,200 lives.

Much of Gaza's infrastructure has since been destroyed, and 1.9 million of its residents forcibly displaced, leaving them at risk of disease and famine.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the ICJ, which in January issued an interim ruling that ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.