Iran Press/Asia:
The big picture: Citing the genocide in Gaza, and Turkey's support for the Palestinian cause, Ankara claimed to have severed ties with Israel in May. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been vocal in holding Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable, asserting that as long as arms shipments to Israel continue, the situation in Palestine and Lebanon will further deteriorate.
What he is saying: Nail Olpak, president of the Turkish Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), said on Tuesday that Turkey is open to restarting trade with Israel “if peace is permanent” in Gaza.
Key points:
- In November, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that his government had cut all ties with Israel due to genocide in Gaza and Israel's military actions in Lebanon.
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Erdogan previously asserted that he had ended Turkey's trade with Israel, which was reportedly valued at $10 billion annually.
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However, investigations suggest that Turkish vessels have continued to transport goods to Israel under the guise of heading to Port Said in Egypt, with some ships switching off their transponders to dock at Israeli ports.
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The Turkish parliament has also seen members like Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu challenge the government's narrative, revealing that Turkey remains a key oil supplier to Israel.
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Earlier, he revealed that the Turkish government was attempting to conceal its trade activities with Israel, noting that oil from Azerbaijan was being sold to Israel through Turkey, with Turkey profiting from the transaction.
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