Turkey freezes its trade relations and military ties with Israel
"From tomorrow diplomatic relations with Israel will be reduced at a second secretary. (…) Similarly, trade relations, military and defense industry will be suspended. Will be completely frozen. This process will further sanctions, "said Erdogan.
Last Friday the Turkish government expelled the Israeli ambassador to Ankara and announced it would lower the minimum diplomatic relations with Israel and, not receiving the apology was demanded by the assault on the Flotilla traveling to Gaza, and after filtering the report UN about the attack , which spreads the blame between the two countries.
The Prime Minister today Israel has defined as "the spoiled child of the family, who think they can keep doing what you want forever," but has said that Turkey would not allow it. "The Mediterranean is not a place unknown to us. From now on our boats will be continuously (military)," he warned. On his possible visit to Gaza next week, Turkish Prime Minister said that "not yet final" and that the final decision was taken after consultation with the Egyptian authorities on his trip to Cairo on Monday.
Turkey has insisted its purpose to fight against the Israeli blockade on Gaza in recent days has raised the tone of verbal hostilities. The Ankara government has announced it will appeal to the Court of International Justice at The Hague to establish whether the lock is legitimate, as stated by the recent UN report on the assault on the Peace Flotilla, or if, as he believes Turkey is "completely unacceptable and illegal."
The Government of Israel refused to apologize for the violence of his assault on the activists of the fleet, as required by Turkey, but expressed hope that relations between the two countries back "to normal soon." Nine Turkish activists were killed on May 31, 2010 the Israeli navy attack against the Mavi Marmara , one of the ships carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza to try to circumvent the blockade on the Gaza Tel Aviv since 2007.
Trading of military technology
"If until now we were talking about Plan B, since we are now in Plan C," added Erdogan on this new twist to worsening relations with its old ally Turkey. Last Friday, when the Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, announced the reduction of diplomatic relations and referred to the suspension of military ties, said nothing about trade relations.
Erdogan has not released details today about whether he was referring to trade relations among States or the private trade. Bilateral trade between Turkey and Israel reached last year of $ 3.439 million (2.424 million euros), with a positive balance for Turkey for 721 million dollars (508 million euros). However, in trade between the two states, the military has been the one that has guided relations since the signing of the Agreement on Cooperation in Defense Industry, 1996.
In this sector, the biggest benefit has led Israel, which it sells to Turkey tech-largely for his fight against PKK Kurdish armed group – while the Turks almost exclusively sold to the Jewish state military uniforms. However, both countries there is a Free Trade Agreement and several agreements to promote investment, carrying out joint ventures in sectors like finance, textiles, infrastructure and energy, among others.
