Despite Turkey’s public support for Palestine, discussions about Turkey’s significant trade relations with Israel, which could potentially undermine this support, were notably absent from the talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniye in Istanbul on Saturday.
The discussions, held away from the press, come at a time of intensified conflict in the Middle East, with both leaders seeking strategic alignments.
“Let us keep the agenda between Mr. Haniye and ourselves and act accordingly,” Erdoğan remarked to the press after Friday prayers, a day before the meeting. This comment hinted at the sensitive nature of the discussions, which remain undisclosed to the public.
Simultaneously, Egypt’s Foreign Minister Samih Shoukry, involved in mediating the aftermath of the ‘Al-Aqsa Storm’ attacks and subsequent Israeli retaliation in Gaza, held talks with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan. They called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, unimpeded humanitarian aid and support for the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Erdoğan expressed strong support for Hamas during a speech, likening it to Turkey’s historical National Forces (Kuvayı Milliyet) during their independence war. “Hamas represents the same as what the National Forces represented in our National Struggle,” he stated, affirming his backing for the organisation.
In response, Hamas issued a statement thanking Erdoğan for his support. “We deeply appreciate and are proud of President Erdoğan’s brave support for the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Palestinian struggle for liberation,” the statement read.
Despite Turkey’s public support for Palestine, notably equating Hamas with Turkey’s National Forces and symbolising a strong ideological alliance, discussions about Turkey’s significant trade relations with Israel, which could potentially undermine this support, were notably absent from the talks.
Recent revelations by journalist Metin Cihan have exposed Turkey’s substantial ongoing trade with Israel, including crucial supplies used in military and infrastructure projects. Following these disclosures, the Turkish Trade Ministry was compelled to announce trade barriers against Israel, despite initially dismissing the exposé as disinformation. Nevertheless, Cihan has shown that trade between Turkey and Israel continues unabated.
On Tuesday, Cihan posted the following information on social media platform X:
Bize yalan söylediler.
Maalesef, Ticaret Bakanlığı'nın "İsrail ile ticareti kısıtlama" açıklamasının gerçeği yansıtmadığını tespit etmiş bulunuyorum. Aşağıda kanıtları sunuyorum.
Bildiğiniz gibi, İsrail'e düzenli gönderdiğimiz ürünlerden biri çimento idi. Hatta şöyle de… pic.twitter.com/PM3qWVFDCs
— metin cihan (@metcihan) April 16, 2024
“They lied to us.
Unfortunately, I have found that the Trade Ministry’s announcement of “restricting trade with Israel” does not reflect the truth. Below, I provide the evidence.
As you know, one of the regular products we sent to Israel was cement. In fact, we could even say that we meet nearly all of Israel’s cement needs.
The list of 54 products included in the Trade Ministry’s announcement to restrict trade with Israel on 9 April included cement. Today, I can clearly demonstrate and show that, despite the official announcement, we continue to send cement to Israel.
One of the companies regularly sending cement is Akçansa, part of Sabancı Holding. Yesterday, the Turkish ship ‘Kazime Ana’, departing from the Akçansa port in Çanakkale, is currently on its way in the Aegean Sea, headed for Israel. In two days, it will arrive at the port of Ashdod to deliver the cement.
Numerous ships from Akçansa are transporting cement to Israel. ‘Kazime Ana’ is just one of them and has made 168 shipments to Israel so far. It regularly travels between Çanakkale and Ashdod.
All the information provided can be verified through international maritime traffic records. I have also shared screenshots.
Given the clarity of this information, I do not expect the Trade Ministry or the shipping company Akçansa to attempt a denial, but if they do make any statement, I will share it here.”
In response, Nihat Zeybekçi, deputy chairman of Erdoğan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), advocated for maintaining trade relations with Israel, arguing that these relations are beneficial for Turkey, even amidst increasing domestic opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
