Wetin be Turkey own for di Israel-Hamas war and why dem stop business wit Israel ?

Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet for September 2023, just weeks before di outbreak of war

Turkey don suspend all business trade with Israel sake of im bombing for Gaza, sake of di “worsening humanitarian tragedy” for di strip.

Turkey trade ministry say na so e go remain until Israel allow “uninterrupted and sufficient flow” of aid enta Gaza.

Trade between di two kontris bin worth almost $7bn last year.

Israel foreign minister accuse Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of acting like “dictator”.

Israel Katz tok for X say Oga Erdogan dey “disregard interests of Turkey pipo plus ignore international trade agreements”.

E say im don give order to di foreign ministry to find alternatives for trade wit Turkey, wit focus on local production and imports from oda kontris.

Turkey Trade Minister Omer Bolat criticise Israel “uncompromising attitude” to ceasefire, as well as di humanitarian situation for di southern Gaza city of Rafah.

“Turkey don suspend all export and import wit Israel until dem establish permanent ceasefire and dem allow aid into Gaza without any interruption.”

For 1949, Turkey bin be di first Muslim-majority kontri to recognise Israel.

But relationship between di two become worse inside di last 20 years.

For 2010, Turkey break off diplomatic ties wit Israel afta 10 pro-Palestinian Turkey activists die for clashes wit Israeli commandos wey enta one Turkey ship to try break Israel maritime blockade of Gaza Strip.

Dem two reconcile relationship for 2016, but di two kontris expel each oda top diplomats two years later on top disagreement say Israel dey kill Palestine pipo during protests on Gaza-Israel border.

Erdogan don dey more and more loud for im criticism of Israel since Israel begin revenge di deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October last year.

E dey always criticise Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, compare am to Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Joseph Stalin and nick name am “di butcher of Gaza”.

Netanyahu say Turkey leader na di last pesin wey go fit preach morality to Israel.

For March, im say President Erdogan “dey support di mass murderers and rapists of Hamas, deny di Armenia genocide [and] dey massacres Kurds for im own kontri”.

Di Turkey leader don dey under domestic political pressure for months to announce measures against Israel, from both opponents and supporters.

Im ruling AK party suffer im worst defeat in twenty years for local elections wey dem do for di end of March, and many religious voters support di Islamist New Welfare party, wey bin call for tough measures against Israel.

Not long afta di vote, Turkey sama restrictions on 54 products wey dem dey export go Israel, from iron and steel to jet fuel, pesticides and construction equipment.

Di trade ministry for Ankara tok on Thursday say now, dem dey extend dat to all exports and imports.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan don be vocal supporter of Palestinians for long

Before, Israel be Turkey number 13 biggest export market for 2023, receiving 2.1% of Turkey exports last year. Before, Turkey be Israel number five biggest importer last year.

Israel don chop heavy criticism for di conditions for Gaza Strip.

One UN-backed assessment tok last month say, 1.1 million pipo dey face serious hunger and say famine go soon happun for northern Gaza by May.

On Thursday, US White House say dem go open one wharf wey US military build to facilitate di flow of aid enta di territory within days.

US bin publish foto wey show logistic vessels and staff as dem dey build di wharf next to one US navy ship.

However, UN say maritime corridor no go ever fit substitute for delivery by land, and say di land routes na di only way to bring in most of di supply wey dem need.

Earlier dis week, Israel reopen di Erez Crossing into northern Gaza strip for aid convoys, under pressure from im Western allies and following repeated begging from international aid organisations.

However, Jordan say Israeli settlers dey attack some of im aid lorries

before dem reach di crossing.

One recent report wey UN bin support give hard evidence say di humanitarian catastrophe for Gaza dey turn into man-made famine.

UN most senior human rights official, Volker Türk, tell BBC say na “possible” case say Israel dey use starvation as weapon of war for Gaza.

Israel deny say dem dey limit aid deliveries and don blame UN for failing to distribute am to pipo wey need am for Gaza.

More dan 34,500 pipo don die for Gaza since Israel begin im revenge attack for 7 October, according to di territory Hamas-run health ministry.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tell Israel say, “di time na now” for ceasefire deal and to free di remaining hostages wey dey dia.

Im say deal dey for table and make Hamas agree to am.

Mediators dey wait for response from Hamas to di latest proposal.

Wetin dey behind Turkey ogbonge support for Hamas for Gaza?

Tens of thousands of Turkey pipo do pro-Palestine protest on 1 January

On di first day of di year, tens of thousands of Turkey pipo enta di streets of Istanbul, dey chant “Murderer Israel, get out of Palestine”.

Dis no be di first time wey di kontri pipo dey do mass pro-Palestinian protest for Turkey since di start of Israel-Gaza war on 7 October.

Di protest on 1 January begin afta Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan say wetin Israel prime minister dey do for Gaza, “no dey less dan wetin Hitler do”.

Since im first come to power more dan 20 years ago, Turkey be ogbonge supporter of Palestine, including Hamas.

But even for Erdogan, di tok dey extreme.

Di gbas gbos between di two kontris don tey, no be today.

For January, Turkey announce on Tuesday say e detain 33 pipo wey dem suspect say dem work for Israeli intelligence service Mossad for raids across eight provinces.

Di operation, wey dem do wit Turkey MIT intelligence agency, bin follow report say Israel wan hunt for members of Hamas abroad, including for Turkey.

Turkey don step up support for Gaza since 7 October, for example e bring many patients from Gaza to Turkey for treatment.

Turkey health minister imsef bin escort some of di casualties wey follow Egypt come.

Wen Israel begin revenge attack on Hamas, Erdogan watch im language small.

But as Israel military response increase, im tok begin catch fire more and more, e call Hamas “freedom fighters” and Israel actions “genocide”.

Dis hostility to Israel dey work for President Erdogan supporters for Turkey, Helin Sari Ertem, Associate Professor of International Relations for Istanbul Medeniyet University, tok.

“For long time, Palestine na mata of interest for Turkey and Turkey pipo, e cover almost all political tendencies,” she say. “therefore, e no dey possible for di goment to consider Palestine-Israeli conflict only as foreign policy issue; as e definitely be game-changer for domestic politics.”

Warning to Hamas

For di second half of di 20th Century, Israel and Turkey bin enjoy close economic and strategic relationships.

But not long afta Recep Tayyip Erdogan enta office for 2002 dat relationship get K-Leg while di one wit Hamas improve.

For 2006, Erdogan invite di Hamas leader dat time, Khaled Meshaal, come Turkey.

By dat time US, Israel and EU bin don declare Hamas as terrorist group.

Di first diplomatic crisis between Israel and Turkey occur in front of world audience for 2009.

Erdogan vex, waka comot from one meeting during di World Economic Forum for Davos after e clash wit Israel President dat time, Shimon Peres over Israeli air strikes for Gaza.

Di Turkey leader vow say im no go ever go back to Davos – and im no ever go again since den.

Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Gulf State Analytics, one geopolitical risk consultancy wey base for Washington DC, say President Erdogan dey unlikely to change path.

“Im get im domestic supporters and constituents, and im no fit to ignore dat kain pressure wey dey come from within Turkey and im base,” Cafiero argue.

Im also say di president no fit ignore im desire for pipo to see am as strong Muslim leader.

“Erdogan na respected head of state throughout di bigger Islamic world, and im get regional and international supporters, too.”

Despite di gbas gbos between di two kontris, Sarı Ertem believe say e go dey too damaging.

“Di anti-Israeli tok, wey dey dey more obvious especially wen dem get serious civilian casualties wey Israel cause on Palestine side, dey hardly disturb di traditional Turkey foreign policy approach, wey favour balancing act,” she say.

“E bin dey always continue im relationship wit Israel at least economically, if not politically. Turkey-Israel relationship don prove say e dey tough despite all di ups and downs during history.”