Will Turkey’s merchant class circumvent latest trade restrictions on Israel?
The Turkish government’s recent export restrictions against Israel will complicate their political relations, but even as bilateral trade declines, experts note that merchants on both sides will look for ways to circumvent the new measures.
ANKARA — Turkey’s decision to impose export restrictions on Israel will complicate, but not end, Turkish-Israeli trade, which is conducted according to a free-trade agreement (FTA).
Turkey’s Ministry of Trade on April 9 announced restrictions on the export of some 54 categories of items to Israel, including chemical compounds, construction material, fertilizer, machinery and various metal products. The announcement linked the decision to worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the death of more than 33,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Turkish-Israeli ties had begun to deteriorate in the wake of Israel’s assault on the besieged territory in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, resulting in the death of at least 1,200 Israelis and the seizure of more than 250 as hostages.
Ankara’s move appears to be an attempt to pressure Israel into changing its approach to the Gaza war and the Palestinian issue. On April 8, a day before the Trade Ministry announcement, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan cited Israel’s refusal to allow Turkey to airdrop aid into Gaza as the political rationale behind the restriction.
“Until Israel declares a cease-fire and humanitarian aid reaches Gaza without interruption, our measures will continue,” Fidan said.
