Turkey Suspends Trade with Israel over Gaza: Solidarity or Politics? Turkey, Israel, boycott, Gaza |
Istanbul (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) – On Thursday, Turkey announced the suspension of all trade with Israel, citing the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the Gaza Strip as the reason. The Turkish Ministry of Trade said: “Export and import transactions related to Israel have been suspended for all products. Turkey will implement these new measures strictly and decisively until the Israeli Government allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.” This move follows a previous trade restriction announced last month, during which Turkey restricted exports in 54 categories, including iron and steel products, jet fuel, construction equipment, machinery, cement, granite, chemicals, pesticides, and bricks. In 2023, trade between Turkey and Israel amounted to $6.8 billion, with 76% representing Turkish exports to Israel. According to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), Israel ranked 13th on Turkey’s list of export destinations in 2023, with $5.4 billion in exports. Turkish exports played a crucial role in Israel’s economy. Before the embargo, Turkey had been Israel’s largest steel and cement exporter. Azerbaijani oil and even barbed wire were shipped to Israel through Turkish ports. Additionally, Zorlu Holding, a Turkish company, produced 7 percent of Israel’s annual electricity. A Move to Regain Domestic Support? During the campaign for the elections held on March 31, Erdoğan’s governing Justice and Development Party (AKP) faced criticism for maintaining trade relations with Israel despite the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Romney Admits Push to Ban TikTok Is Aimed at Censoring News Out of Gaza  A conversation between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Republican senator offered an “incredible historical document” showing how the U.S. views its role in the Middle East. By Julia Conley ( Commondreams.org ) – A discussion between U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Sen. Mitt Romney over the weekend included what one critic […] |
Media Coverage of Campus Protests focuses on Spectacle, rather than Substance By Danielle K. Brown, Michigan State University | – Protest movements can look very different depending on where you stand, both literally and figuratively. For protesters, demonstrations are usually the result of meticulous planning by advocacy groups and leaders aimed at getting a message out to a wider world or to specific institutional targets. To […] |
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Police have now arrested more than 2,500 students at pro-Palestine protests across the U.S., yet students continue to call for an end to the war on Gaza and universities' investment in companies that support Israel's occupation of Palestine. We speak to three student organizers from around the country: Salma Hamamy of the University of Michigan, president of the school's chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, about the commencement ceremony protest she helped organize, and Cady de la Cruz of the University of Virginia and Rae Ferrara of the State University of New York at New Paltz about police crackdowns on their schools' encampments. De la Cruz was arrested in the UVA raid and banned from campus without an opportunity to collect any of her belongings. She says repression has strengthened the resolve of many protesters, who are willing to risk their academic futures to push for divestment. "All of us there felt like we have more time on our hands … than the people of Gaza," she explains, "We would hold it down for anything."
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