Israel vows response to Turkish trade restrictions

JERUSALEM: Israel vowed Tuesday to take steps against Turkey, accusing it of violating trade deals between the two countries after Ankara announced trade restrictions over the war in Gaza.

"Turkey is unilaterally violating the trade agreements with Israel, and Israel will adopt the necessary steps against it," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz sharply criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the decision.

“Erdogan has sacrificed the economic interest of Turkey’s people for the sake of his support of Hamas murders in Gaza," Katz said on X.

"Israel will not submit to violence and extortion... and will adopt against Turkey similar steps that will harm the Turkish economy."

Israel is now preparing an "expanded list of products" it intends to stop importing from Turkey, the ministry said, including construction materials like steel and cement.

Once allies, Israel and Turkey have had rocky relations over the past 15 years.

The two countries restored full diplomatic ties in 2022, but since the war in Gaza broke out in October relations have deteriorated.

Erdogan has defended Hamas as "a liberation group", even though it is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and the United States.