Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on Wednesday that “relations with Israel have been severed” was widely reported by the Israeli media, which interpreted it as an announcement of a new hostile move by Turkey against Israel. However, the reality is more complex.
Erdogan did state that Turkey’s ties with Israel had been severed, but he made this remark in response to a question about trade relations between the two countries. His words were not intended to announce a new decision but rather to describe the current state of trade relations. Despite Ankara’s announcement in May that it had severed trade relations with Israel, trade between the two countries actually continues indirectly. In fact, Turkey and Israel still maintain diplomatic relations at a low level, with no recent changes in this regard.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Israeli media was willing to believe that Turkey had severed all relations with Israel highlights the depth of the crisis between the two countries. This perception is further fueled by Erdogan’s frequent and harsh rhetoric against Israel, including threats to sever diplomatic relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, making such a scenario plausible.
Among the factors that influence Erdogan’s decisions is the leeway that Turkey’s western allies provide. So far, Ankara hasn’t paid a high price for its actions toward Israel, not even after its decision to sever trade ties. However, the new administration in Washington could affect Erdogan’s considerations. Although Trump and Erdogan maintained a good personal relationship that previously benefited the Turkish leader, their countries also experienced severe crises during Trump’s previous term. The initial appointments of the incoming administration include figures known for their anti-Turkish stance, which could cause Erdogan to be more cautious in the first few months of the Trump presidency.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on Wednesday that “relations with Israel have been severed” was widely reported by the Israeli media, which interpreted it as an announcement of a new hostile move by Turkey against Israel. However, the reality is more complex.
Erdogan did state that Turkey’s ties with Israel had been severed, but he made this remark in response to a question about trade relations between the two countries. His words were not intended to announce a new decision but rather to describe the current state of trade relations. Despite Ankara’s announcement in May that it had severed trade relations with Israel, trade between the two countries actually continues indirectly. In fact, Turkey and Israel still maintain diplomatic relations at a low level, with no recent changes in this regard.
Nevertheless, the fact that the Israeli media was willing to believe that Turkey had severed all relations with Israel highlights the depth of the crisis between the two countries. This perception is further fueled by Erdogan’s frequent and harsh rhetoric against Israel, including threats to sever diplomatic relations between Ankara and Jerusalem, making such a scenario plausible.
Among the factors that influence Erdogan’s decisions is the leeway that Turkey’s western allies provide. So far, Ankara hasn’t paid a high price for its actions toward Israel, not even after its decision to sever trade ties. However, the new administration in Washington could affect Erdogan’s considerations. Although Trump and Erdogan maintained a good personal relationship that previously benefited the Turkish leader, their countries also experienced severe crises during Trump’s previous term. The initial appointments of the incoming administration include figures known for their anti-Turkish stance, which could cause Erdogan to be more cautious in the first few months of the Trump presidency.