Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz has said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lifted many trade restrictions imposed on Israel in response to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, a claim later denied by Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat.
“Erdogan has walked back and scrapped many of the trade restrictions, and the lesson is clear: we must not give in to the dictator’s threats, we must create alternatives and not depend on a person from the Muslim Brotherhood, who can stop everything at any moment,” Katz said on X on Thursday.
Later in the day, Bolat rejected Israeli claims of Ankara easing the trade restrictions.
“The statements of the Israeli Foreign Minister are absolutely fictional and have nothing to do with reality. We stand behind the decision we have made as a government regarding trade with Israel. This decision remains in effect,” he said on X.
Ankara’s decision to stop trade with Israel will remain in place until Turkey’s conditions related to the cessation of Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, the establishment of a permanent ceasefire and the continuous supply of humanitarian aid to the conflict-torn enclave are fulfilled, the minister added.
Last week, the Turkish Trade Ministry confirmed that the country had fully suspended trading with Israel.
