Turkish Ports Suspend Trade with Israel, Stranding Cargo Ships: A Tragic Consequence of Diplomatic Tensions.

According to a recent report from the Israeli publication Globes, Turkish ports have been instructed to stop sending cargo to the ports of Haifa and Ashdod. Additionally, the unloading of cargo arriving from Israel has been halted. Bloomberg.com, citing two high-ranking sources in Turkey, reported that Ankara has suspended trade relations with Israel.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of breaching agreements by blocking the shipment of Israeli imports and exports. Katz criticized Erdogan’s actions as dictatorial and detrimental to Turkish entrepreneurs and international trade agreements. In response to the situation, Katz stated in his X-blog that he has directed the director general of the Foreign Ministry to explore alternative trade options with a focus on local producers and imports from other countries.

In early April, Globes had previously reported that Turkish companies exporting goods to Israel were unable to pay export duties through the Turkish customs website. This issue only affected exports to Israel, with no alternative payment methods available. As a result, cargo ships operating on trade routes between Israel and Turkish ports are unable to sail due to the current circumstances.