Turkey blocking cooperation between NATO and Israel

Turkey blocking cooperation between NATO and Israel over Gaza war

Elad Benari

Turkey has blocked cooperation between NATO and Israel since October because of the war in Gaza and said the alliance should not engage with Israel as a partner until there is an end to the conflict, sources familiar with the process told Reuters on Thursday.

Israel carries the status of NATO partner and has fostered close relations with the military alliance and some of its members, notably the United States.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the sources told Reuters that Turkey had vetoed all NATO engagement with Israel since October, including joint meetings and exercises, viewing Israel's "massacre" in Gaza as a violation of NATO's founding principles.

The sources said Turkey would maintain this block and not allow Israel to continue or advance its interaction with NATO until there was an end to the conflict, as it believes Israel's actions in Gaza violate international law and universal human rights.

Prior to the war in Gaza which was prompted by Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel, Turkey had been working to mend its long-strained ties with Israel.

However, since the start of the war, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has resumed his frequent verbal attacks on Israel.

In one speech, the Turkish President said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “committed one of the greatest atrocities of this century in Gaza and has already put his name down in history as the butcher of Gaza."

The Turkish Trade Ministry announced in early May it had suspended all export and import operations with Israel due to what it described as its "aggression against Palestine in violation of international law and human rights."

The move came several weeks after Turkey restricted exports to Israel of 54 product categories.

Last month, the Turkish President called on NATO to stop its cooperation with Israel. In response, Foreign Minister Israel Katz wrote, “Erdogan declares at the NATO summit that he will not allow NATO to cooperate with Israel.”