ANKARA, August 29 — Turkey announced Friday that it has closed its airspace to Israeli aircraft and severed all economic and commercial ties with Israel, condemning what it calls Israel’s “reckless attacks” across the Middle East, including Gaza.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared the measures during an extraordinary parliamentary session, citing Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and recent military actions in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran. Fidan stated, “Israel’s reckless attacks on Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iran is the clearest sign of a terrorist state mentality defying international order.” He also confirmed that Turkish ships are barred from sailing to Israeli ports. Despite the ban, flight trackers indicated Israeli commercial airlines continued to use Turkish airspace on Friday for routes to Georgia and Russia, leaving the scope and timing of the restriction unclear.
Turkey’s parliament speaker, Numan Kurtulmus, called for Israel’s suspension from the UN and other international bodies over its Gaza policies, as reported by local media. Fidan highlighted Turkey’s participation with 52 countries in a UN initiative to halt weapons and ammunition supplies to Israel. This follows Turkey’s May 2024 decision to suspend trade with Israel until uninterrupted humanitarian aid reaches Gaza. The two nations, linked by a free-trade agreement since 1997, recorded bilateral trade of nearly $6.8 billion in 2023, with over 75% being Turkish exports, primarily steel, oil, and plastic.
The Chenab Times learned that Israel’s expanded offensive in Gaza, including a new assault on Gaza City, and its recent troop deployment in Syria and strikes on Yemen, have fueled the escalation.
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Global Affairs Desk at The Chenab Times covers international developments, global diplomacy, and foreign policy issues through fact-based reporting, explainers, and analytical pieces. The desk focuses on major geopolitical events, diplomatic engagements, and international trends, with an emphasis on verified information, multiple perspectives, and contextual understanding of global affairs.
