According to reports from Israeli publication Globes, Turkish ports have been instructed to halt the shipment of cargo to the ports of Haifa and Ashdod, as well as to stop unloading cargo arriving from Israel. Bloomberg.com, citing sources in Turkey, reported that Ankara has ceased trade relations with Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for violating agreements by blocking goods for Israeli imports and exports. In a blog post, Katz described Erdogan’s actions as dictatorial and disregarding the interests of Turkish businesses and international trade agreements. Katz has instructed his department’s director-general to explore alternative trade options with a focus on local producers and imports from other countries.
Earlier in April, Globes had reported that Turkish companies exporting goods to Israel were unable to pay export duties on the Turkish customs website. This issue was specific to exports to Israel, with no alternative payment methods available. As a consequence, cargo ships involved in trade between Israel and Turkish ports are unable to set sail due to the current impasse.