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Rabat – Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat has officially lodged a complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) regarding Turkiye’s decision to sever trade ties with Israel.
Barkat’s complaint, addressed to OECD chief Mathias Cormann in person, condemned Turkiye’s abrupt halt of maritime trade between the two nations, labeling it a violation of international maritime trade laws.
In a post on X, the Israeli minister accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of being “an anti-Semitic rogue who harms all of Europe with a decision that blatantly violates maritime trade laws and damages global supply chains.”
Barkat said that the decision would harm the European economy, calling on the OECD to take action against Turkiye.
The decision, announced by Turkish authorities on Thursday, suspends all exports and imports to and from Israel, citing concerns over the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in Gaza.
The Turkish Ministry of Trade said in a statement that “export and import transactions related to Israel have been stopped, covering all products.”
The statement added, “Turkiye will strictly and decisively implement these new measures until the Israeli Government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.”
In response to Turkiye’s decision, Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused President Erdogan of acting like a “dictator” and disregarding international trade agreements.
“This is how a dictator behaves, disregarding the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen, and ignoring international trade agreements,” Kartz said on X.
He indicated that Israel is considering proactive measures to address the trade suspension with Turkiye, including instructing the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage with relevant stakeholders. The directive aims to explore alternative trade avenues that prioritize local production and imports from other countries.
Turkiye’s decision comes in the wake of a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel’s restrictions on the flow of humanitarian aid.
Particularly in the northern areas of Gaza, where famine levels are alarmingly high, access to essential supplies has been severely limited.
In addition, the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) war on Gaza has claimed the lives of more than 34,600 Palestinian civilians since October 7.
