Turkey will prevent any Israeli military cooperation with NATO until a permanent ceasefire is established in Gaza, blocking Israel’s participation in upcoming drills. This reflects heightened tensions after recent geopolitical events, particularly in light of Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Turkey has announced that it will impede any future military collaborations, including drills with Israel under NATO, until a permanent ceasefire is established in Gaza. Turkish sources informed Middle East Eye that this decision followed Israel’s exclusion from NATO’s upcoming exercise focused on resilience and emergency preparedness scheduled in Bulgaria this September.
Israeli reports highlighted that Turkey’s decision was influenced by comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning the protection of the Druze and Kurdish communities in Syria. These remarks, along with Israel’s military actions in Syria, have incited anger within Ankara, leading to speculation regarding the impact on Turkish-Israeli ties. Conversely, a Turkish official dismissed these connections, asserting, “We have been blocking Israel’s new engagements with NATO for over a year.”
The Turkish official emphasized that NATO’s unanimous decision-making process grants Turkey the authority to veto Israel’s participation in new activities. “Until a permanent ceasefire is achieved in Gaza and the obstacles to humanitarian aid are removed, we do not allow new or additional decisions to be made or new activities to be organized in NATO regarding Israel,” the source stated. This reflects Ankara’s sustained firm stance towards Israel amid ongoing tensions.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have considerably worsened since a September 2023 meeting between leaders Erdogan and Netanyahu, which was intended as a reconciliation effort. After Hamas’s attack on October 7 and the ensuing military actions in Gaza, Turkey increased its criticism of Israel, resulting in trade sanctions and legal actions, notably a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice accusing it of genocide in Gaza.
Amidst these developments, Turkish domestic pressure has mounted on President Erdogan due to perceived inadequacies in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly following the local elections where his party lost ground due to criticism related to the war in Gaza. Consequently, Ankara’s trade with Israel has faced scrutiny, especially trade conducted via third countries, amplifying public discourse on Erdogan’s policies regarding Israel and Gaza.
In summary, Turkey’s commitment to blocking military cooperation between Israel and NATO reflects its strong stance against Israel’s actions in Gaza. This decision is predicated on the condition of achieving a permanent ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access. The deterioration of Turkish-Israeli relations has intensified since late 2023, accentuated by geopolitical tensions and local political pressures in Turkey.
Original Source: www.middleeasteye.net
