Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Wednesday that Türkiye has severed all relations with Israel. He made this statement while speaking to journalists on his plane after visiting Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. “The government of the Republic of Türkiye, under my leadership, will not continue any kind of relationship with Israel and we will remain firm in this position,” Erdogan said.
Türkiye had recalled its ambassador
Although Türkiye imposed trade sanctions on Israel in May, Turkish diplomatic missions are still open and operating in Tel Aviv. Last year, Türkiye also recalled its ambassador, while Israel abandoned its embassy in Ankara for security reasons.
Erdogan also said Türkiye would take all possible measures to hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for his actions in Gaza. Turkey has intervened this year in the ongoing genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice and has also advocated for an arms embargo on Israel.
In November, Turkey launched an initiative at the United Nations to stop the supply of weapons and ammunition to Israel, which has been supported by 52 countries and two international organizations. Erdogan said he presented the initiative to the president and secretary-general of the UN Security Council and invited all members of the Arab League to sign the letter at a summit in Riyadh.
Decline in Türkiye-Israel relations
Relations between Turkey and Israel have deteriorated since the meeting between Erdogan and Netanyahu in New York last year, which was considered a symbol of reconciliation between the two countries. But following Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 and the subsequent Israeli retaliation in Gaza, which killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, Turkey has sharply criticized Netanyahu’s government.
Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) faced criticism for its weak response in recent local elections in Turkey, after which Turkey tightened legal and trade sanctions against Israel.
