Turkey has announced the closure of its airspace to Israeli aircraft and is imposing restrictions on trade destined for Israel. Yet, Israeli airlines report they are still flying through Turkish airspace, despite Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s announcement.
By Yiannis Damellos
Source: ANA, efsyn. gr, The Times of Israel
Ankara has been vocal in its criticism of Tel Aviv, condemning the deadly attacks and humanitarian crisis caused by the Israeli military in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has labeled Israel’s actions as genocide and has drawn comparisons between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Adolf Hitler.
In a significant escalation, Turkey will now prohibit not only Israeli government aircraft from entering its airspace but also any cargo shipments of weapons intended for the Israeli military. Additionally, Turkish ports will be closed to maritime trade between third countries and Israel.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan made the announcement following a parliamentary discussion on the situation in Gaza, reiterating Turkey's stance: "We have completely stopped our trade with Israel. Our ports are closed to Israeli vessels. We will not permit container ships carrying weapons and ammunition to Israel to access our ports, nor will we allow aircraft to enter our airspace."
Severing Trade Relations
Turkey severed direct trade ties with Israel in May 2024, insisting on a permanent ceasefire and the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. In 2023, trade between the two nations amounted to approximately $7 billion.
While Turkish media reported the maritime ban last week, there was no official confirmation at that time. Notably, in November, Turkish authorities denied Israeli President Isaac Herzog's plane entry into Turkish airspace en route to an international summit in Azerbaijan. Erdoğan later emphasized the importance of Turkey taking a firm stance on such critical issues when questioned about the incident.
Israeli Airlines Continue Overflights Despite Turkish Airspace Closure
Israeli airlines report they are still flying through Turkish airspace, despite Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s announcement that trade with Israel has been "totally cut" and airspace closed to Israeli aircraft.
A Turkish diplomatic source later clarified that the restrictions apply specifically to flights carrying Israeli officials or weapons. “The minister’s comments refer to official Israeli flights and flights transporting weapons or ammunition. This does not include commercial transit flights,” the source explained.
This clarification followed remarks by Israeli officials, who suggested that Fidan's statements might have inaccurately summarized existing actions Turkey had taken against Israel amid the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
“We have completely severed trade with Israel, closed our ports to Israeli vessels, and prohibited Turkish ships from entering Israeli ports,” Fidan stated during an extraordinary parliamentary session addressing Israel's actions in Gaza. He emphasized, “We will not allow container ships carrying weapons and ammunition to Israel to enter our ports, nor will we permit airplanes to enter our airspace.”
Additionally, Fidan announced plans for Turkey to conduct airdrops of aid to Gaza, stating, “Our planes are ready; once we receive approval from Jordan, we will proceed.”
The Israeli government has not yet commented on Fidan's statements, which followed a report from Saudi outlet Al-Hadath alleging that an Israeli raid in the Damascus area had dismantled Turkish surveillance equipment aimed at monitoring Israel.
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