Trade Minister discusses decision to impose export restrictions on Israel

Trade Minister Bolat underscores Türkiye’s unwavering stance against Israel’s actions, emphasizing Türkiye’s proactive aid efforts and historical role as the first country to embargo Israel

Trade Minister Omer Bolat provided insights on Türkiye’s decision to impose export restrictions on Israel, amid the continued attacks on Palestine, during a live broadcast on TRT Haber.

Bolat emphasized the government’s relentless efforts, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in seeking to halt the attacks and achieve a cease-fire through bilateral and international channels.

Türkiye has been at the forefront of opposition against Israel’s actions, particularly evident in international forums such as the G-20 and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), where strong calls for an end to the attacks have been made.

Lack of success in international efforts

Despite these efforts, Minister Bolat noted the lack of success in achieving a cease-fire, even with attempts and resolutions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including the recent UNSC call for a cease-fire toward Israel that notably went unopposed by the United States.

Additional initiatives, such as seeking provisional measures from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, have also not yielded the desired outcomes.

Turning to the trade aspect of the situation, Bolat expressed disappointment in the absence of a global or platform-wide embargo against Israel.

Türkiye, however, took proactive steps by delivering 42,000 tons of aid materials to Gaza, making it one of the leading countries worldwide in supporting Gaza.

First country to impose an embargo on Israel

Minister Bolat underscored Türkiye’s historical stance as the first country to impose an embargo on Israel. He highlighted Türkiye’s dedication to aiding Gaza, despite Israel’s lack of response to Türkiye’s aid efforts, citing a recent incident where an attempt to deliver aid via air through Jordan was obstructed.

Discussing the recent decision to impose export restrictions on Israel, Bolat emphasized that the move aimed to send a strong signal to the international community.

In addressing the complex trade dynamics, Bolat pointed out that all transactions with Palestine inevitably pass through Israeli customs and ports.

He highlighted the coexistence of 7,185,000 Israelis alongside 8 million Muslim Palestinians in the vast territories encompassing Israel, Ramallah, East Jerusalem and Gaza.

Among these, 2,065,000 Muslim Palestinians hold Israeli passports, conduct trade and manage businesses within these regions.

Israel’s disinformation efforts

Touching on Israel’s disinformation efforts, Minister Bolat revealed Türkiye’s determination to counter false news and misinformation originating from Israeli intelligence. These efforts, he noted, were aimed at discrediting Türkiye’s steadfast support for Gaza.

Finally, Bolat assured that essential items such as food, medical products, medicines, kitchenware and clothing were excluded from the scope of the export restrictions.

He added that decisions regarding these products would be made based on developments, with relevant state institutions conducting assessments.

The Ministry of Trade or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would subsequently share this information with the public, ensuring transparency and accountability in Türkiye’s actions regarding the situation in Gaza.

Source: Newsroom

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