Turkiye slaps 'Israel' with veto, blocks it from NATO exercise
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Turkiye's veto marks yet another one of Ankara's measures against the Israeli occupation since the beginning of the war on Gaza.
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Servicemen stand at the end of the Steadfast Dart 2025 exercise, in Smardan, eastern Romania, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025 (AP)
Turkiye blocked "Israel" from taking part in an annual NATO military exercise on “resilience and emergency preparedness," reports received by the Israeli Foreign Ministry on Sunday revealed, prompting Israeli officials to accuse the Republic of wielding its veto power as a "political tool".
The decision follows a meeting about two weeks ago between Israeli officials, the NATO coordination team, and the Bulgarian delegation to the alliance.
Turkiye’s move could obstruct the Israeli participation in the exercise, as NATO decisions require consensus. Moreover, without an active partnership agreement, there is no bureaucratic mechanism to compel Turkiye to include the occupation in the alliance’s official activities.
“Turkey’s position undermines regional cooperation and NATO’s ability to address global challenges,” an Israeli official said, decrying the Republic's decision, adding that “instead of promoting unity and collective security, Turkey is wielding its veto in a way that harms strategic partnerships."
"Blocking Israel’s cooperation with NATO does not contribute to stability; rather, it undermines the alliance’s core values," the official further claimed.
This isn't the first time Ankara blocked "Israel" from participating in NATO activities since it argues that the alliance should not engage with "Israel" until the war on Gaza ends.
Turkiye blocks NATO-"Israel" collaborations
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking at a press conference in Washington on July 12 following the NATO leaders' summit, stated that efforts to collaborate with "Israel" within NATO are "not acceptable".
Erdogan stressed that "it is not possible for the Israeli administration, which has trampled on the fundamental values ​​of our alliance, to continue its partnership relationship with NATO," while shedding light on the ongoing crimes "Israel" was committing at the time.
Reuters sources reported in August 2024 that Turkiye had been disrupting collaboration between NATO and the occupation, banning all interactions between the two since October, including joint meetings and drills, citing "Israel's" massacre of Palestinians as a breach of NATO values.
The sources stated that Turkiye will maintain its blockade and refuse to allow Israeli participation in NATO activity until its violations of international law in Gaza end.
"Israel", a NATO partner, has strong ties with the alliance and key members like the US, while Turkiye, once working to repair relations before the Gaza onslaught, has since condemned the war as genocide, compared Netanyahu to Hitler, and cut all trade with the occupation.
