Israel threatens to seek US pushback over Turkiye export restrictions

Israel, on Tuesday, threatened to hit back at Turkiye 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 Turkiye and prevent the import of products from Turkiye”, Anadolu Agency reports.

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

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 Turkiye from exporting to Israel.”

“Turkiye 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 Turkiye” for his support to Hamas, which he called “murderers in Gaza who raped, murdered and desecrated the bodies of women, girls, adults and burned children alive”, referring to reports from Hamas’ cross-border attack of 7 October, including details that Hamas has disputed.

READ: Israel threatens to retaliate after Turkiye restricts trade ties 

“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 Turkiye that will harm the Turkish economy,” Katz also vowed.

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

“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 a 7 October cross-border incursion by Palestinian group, Hamas, which claimed 1,200 lives.

However, since then, it has been revealed by Haaretz that helicopters and tanks of the Israeli army had, in fact, killed many of the 1,139 soldiers and civilians claimed by Israel to have been killed by the Palestinian Resistance.

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 International Court of Justice (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.

READ: Turkiye imposes export restrictions on Israel until Gaza ceasefire