ANKARA - President Erdogan, who has frequently referred Israel as a "terrorist state" in his discourse with a pro-Palestine attitude, has never made any concessions from the commercial relations with Israel during his 18-year rule.

 

The governments of Turkey, which is known as the first Muslim country to recognize the state of Israel, have always applied policies for “tension” in politics and “improvement” in economy. Since Israel's establishment in politics "tension", while the economy "healing" policies are implemented. Since 2002 that it came to power, AKP has always developed politics as the “patron of the oppressed” in the occurrence of every Israeli-Palestinian crisis. On the other hand, AKP’s trade relations with Israel have gotten stronger over tıme. AKP government, while blaming Israel in front of the cameras for humanitarian crimes regarding Israeli-Palestinian crisis, has chosen to take side on its commercial treaties with Israel behind the cameras which resulted in carrying the trade capacity of Turkey-Israel on a record level.

 

2004: 5 TIMES MORE TRADE WITH ISRAEL

 

Israel killed Hamas leaders Abdulaziz Rantissi and Sheikh Ahmet Yasin by the two air strikes during March and April 2004. AS a reaction against these air attacks, Erdoğan said: "Israel applies state terrorism”. The trade with Israel increased 5 times compared to 2000 and reached 5.8 billion dollars in the year when Erdogan used these words.

 

2008: NO SLOWING DOWN

 

200 Palestinians lost their lives as a result of Israel's operation called "Cast Lead" (Hebrew: מִבְצָע עוֹפֶרֶת יְצוּקָה, also known in the Muslim world as the Gaza Massacre مجزرة غزة‎) in Gaza Strip between December 27th 2008 and January 18th 2009. By that time, Erdoğan commented as follows: “What has been committed is a crime against humanity Israel applied state terrorism”.

 

According to the data released at the end of that year that Erdoğan used these words, The Israel-Turkey trade volume amounted as 3 billion 383 million 154 thousand dollars by the end of 2008, as this number was 2 billion 29 million 435 thousand dollars by the end of 2004.

 

INCREASE AFTER THE RAGE IN DAVOS

 

Erdoğan responded to the criticisms of Israeli President Shimon Peres at the " Gaza Peace Model Middle East" session held in Davos as part of the World Economic Forum by his speech of rage: “I know very well how you killed the children on the beaches and how you shot them." Then, Turkey's trade volume with Israel has increased to 3 billion 439 million 786 thousand dollars in 2009.

 

2018: FLYING OVER RECORD TRADE LEVELS

 

In February 2018, it was announced that the United States will open the Jerusalem Embassy on May 14, the day of Israel's founding. Erdoğan, who hosted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in May 2018 in Istanbul, said, “To act for Palestinians who were massacred by Israeli bandits today is to show the world that humanity is still not dead. To claim Jerusalem today is to protect peace and humanity. Because Jerusalem is the honor, dignity and harmony of all Muslims.” Erdoğan's rhetoric claiming Jerusalem as the dignity of all Muslims,  was not in compliance with the Turkey-Israel foreign trade volume of 5 billion 608 million 454 thousand dollars, which was close to a second record in the same year.

 

WHAT WILL BE THE ‘RED LINE’ IN 2020? 

 

The last statement Erdoğan used regarding Palestine was “Jerusalem is our red line”. The fact that there is no alteration in the agreements with Israel in the current period, the increase in the trade volume with Israel seem to be continuing in the upcoming period. 

 

MA/ Selman Güzelyüz