Israel takes countermeasures against Türkiye after trade suspension

Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Friday several measures to be taken against Türkiye following the latter's decision to halt all trade activities with Israel due to "non-stop violence" against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, reported Xinhua.

The ministry said in a statement that in a discussion carried out by senior officials from the foreign and economy ministries, as well as the Israel Tax Authority, it was decided to work towards reducing any economic connection between Türkiye and the West Bank and Gaza.

Additionally, it was decided to take action in international economic forums to explore sanctions against Türkiye for violating trade agreements, to create an alternative list for the Israeli economy across various sectors and products, and to support affected Israeli export sectors.

It noted that Türkiye is the Palestinian Authority's largest importing country.

According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, in 2023, Israeli exports of goods to Türkiye amounted to 1.57 billion U.S. dollars, while Israeli imports from Türkiye reached 4.61 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, Israel filed a complaint to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) against Türkiye for its decision to suspend trade, said a statement from Israel's Economy Minister Nir Barkat.

Both Türkiye and Israel are OECD member countries.