Turkiye on Saturday has dismissed reports that it maintained economic ties with Tel Aviv, rejecting claims that nearly $394 million in goods were exported during the first five months of 2024. The allegations, widely shared on social media and referenced in some pro-"Israel" media outlets, were condemned by the Turkish Presidency's Center for Combating Disinformation as "entirely false and a product of disinformation."

"This deliberate distortion is nothing more than an attempt to manipulate public opinion and discredit our state institutions," the statement said, as Turkish authorities doubled down on their commitment to sever all economic cooperation with the apartheid regime.

Fueling the Occupation

Turkiye announced a complete halt of exports, imports, and transit trade with "Israel" on May 2, 2024, in protest of the ongoing genocide in Gaza. The embargo, which covers customs points and free zones, was declared with the aim of applying economic pressure on the occupation. "Since that date, there have been no customs declarations registered for exports from Turkiye to Israel, nor any shipments received from Israel," the government insisted.

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Yet despite these claims, growing concerns remain over credible reports of continued oil flows. Independent investigations, including maritime tracking data, have suggested that tankers departing from Turkiye's Ceyhan port may have delivered crude oil to "Israel"  via offshore transfers. One such vessel, the Seavigour, reportedly loaded Azeri oil in late October and offloaded it at sea near occupied territory, after the trade freeze.

The Turkish government, along with SOCAR Turkey (the  Azerbaijani state oil subsidiary), has denied facilitating these shipments. Officials argue that the BTC pipeline operates under international agreements and that Turkiye cannot control the final destination of every tanker, an explanation that has drawn skepticism from rights groups and pro-Palestinian activists, who warn that technicalities must not be allowed to shield complicity in war crimes.

Smuggling Doubts

Meanwhile, Ankara stressed that its trade with occupied Palestine continues under a special protocol with the Palestinian Authority. "Last year, Turkiye's exports to Palestine reached $797 million," it stated. However, because Israeli authorities control the majority of Palestinian ports, these shipments often pass through Zionist hands, raising questions about whether Israeli trade figures are falsely attributing Palestinian-bound goods to "Israel."

"Citing Israel's so-called data to allege that Turkiye is exporting to Israel is part of a smear campaign aimed solely at undermining the credibility of our official institutions and misleading the public," the statement said.

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As the people of Gaza endure relentless bombing, starvation, and displacement under Israeli occupation, with Western complicity, Turkiye reiterated its political stance: "Turkiye firmly reiterates our unwavering support for our Palestinian brothers and sisters." Despite official assurances, pressure is mounting on Ankara to ensure absolute transparency and accountability.