Ankara Suspends Full Trade Relations with Israel

Türkiye-(Special Correspondent/Web desk)In a sharp escalation of its stance, Türkiye has suspended all economic and commercial relations with Israel and decided to shut its airspace to Israeli flights. The announcement was made by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday during a special parliamentary session focused on the Gaza crisis. Fidan condemned Israel’s ongoing military actions in Gaza and neighboring countries, describing them as reckless attacks that reflect “a terrorist state mentality in defiance of international order.OAS promises urgent fix for damaged religious sites after floods.

Fidan noted that Türkiye had joined 52 countries in backing a United Nations initiative demanding an immediate halt to arms and ammunition sales to Israel. He recalled that in May 2024, Türkiye had already warned it would stop trading with Israel if humanitarian aid was not allowed safe passage into Gaza. The two countries have maintained a free trade agreement since 1997, with key goods including steel, oil, and plastics. Bilateral trade reached nearly $6.8 billion last year, according to Turkish Statistical Institute figures, with Turkish exports making up more than 75 percent. In the same parliamentary debate, the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly urged the UN and other global bodies to strip Israel of membership, accusing it of repeated breaches of international law and responsibility for civilian deaths in Gaza.