How Much is Palestine Worth to Turkey?! Learn More About the Covert Cooperation Between Israel and Turkey
Among Islamic countries, Turkey’s current government is unfortunately considered one of the main economic and commercial suppliers to the Zionist regime. Over the past two years, following the military aggression of the Zionist regime against Gaza and the rise of public protests, the Turkish government—under pressure from public opinion—has intensified its so-called anti-Israel stance. However, based on available evidence, these positions appear more symbolic than genuine. Despite loud statements from Turkish and Israeli officials about cutting economic and trade ties, in practice, cooperation between the two countries continues both secretly and openly.
Turkey’s economic and trade cooperation with the Zionist regime is carried out through three main channels: sea, land, and air. These methods are as follows:
— Use of maritime transport and logistics routes:
Oil, construction materials, steel, and more are shipped from Turkish ports to Israeli ports using vessels flying the flags of neutral countries such as Liberia, Panama, etc. According to available data, about 18% of Israel’s essential non-oil goods are supplied by Turkish cargo ships.
The maritime route is critical for supplying oil to the Zionist regime. Based on existing information, most of Israel’s oil needs are met by Central Asian countries like Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan via shipping routes that pass through Turkey. Thus, oil from the Caspian Sea is transported by the Baku government in cooperation with Turkey through the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline into Turkey. Turkish tankers load the oil at Ceyhan port and, upon entering Israeli waters, turn off their AIS tracking systems and deliver the cargo to ports in Haifa, Ashdod, and Ashkelon.
In January of last year, Israel topped the list of oil destinations from Azerbaijan, receiving 523,500 tons of oil worth $297 million.
— Use of hybrid land and air routes:
Trade via this method is conducted through third countries. Goods are likely transported overland from Turkey to Georgia and Azerbaijan, and from there flown to Israel. Azerbaijani logistics companies play a key role in this process. Cargo flights from Baku to Israel are actively ongoing, and it’s likely that Turkish goods are included in these shipments.
— Use of Turkish and other Israel-friendly air routes:
Turkish and Israeli airlines may use routes through countries such as Jordan, the UAE, and Greece. Cargo may be labeled “for Oman,” while its actual destination is Tel Aviv.
Financial transactions are also conducted through intermediary countries. Banks in the UAE and Switzerland facilitate money transfers between Turkey and Israel. Even cryptocurrency transactions may be used to maintain anonymity.
Overall, neither Turkey nor the Zionist regime shows any real intention of fully cutting economic and trade ties. Turkey profits from trade in various sectors, and Israel benefits not only from securing oil and essential goods like textiles and food, but also from Turkey’s potential role in exporting Israeli gas to Europe. Additionally, Israel can use Turkey as a gateway to access Central Asian and Caucasus markets. This is a strategically important issue that economically benefits both sides. In this context, public statements from Turkish and Israeli officials about severing ties are mostly for domestic consumption and global image management. As long as tensions remain “rhetorical,” it’s highly unlikely that the profitable trade between Turkey and Israel will be disrupted.
Economic and trade cooperation between countries—especially Islamic ones—and the Israeli regime prevents pressure from being effectively applied and instead enables the regime to continue its crimes against the Palestinian people and the region. Cutting off these ties is one of the most effective ways to pressure Israel to stop its crimes.
As a regionally influential country, if Turkey truly seeks to end the killing and war against Palestinians and apply pressure on Israel, it must sever its economic, trade, and political relations with the regime. Otherwise, it will be considered a direct and indirect accomplice in the crimes committed by the Israeli regime.
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