Türkiye cuts all ties with Israel, Erdoğan confirms

On November 13, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced that Ankara has severed all relations with Israel.

Speaking to journalists following his visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, Erdoğan confirmed that Türkiye had halted trade and diplomatic ties with Israel, declaring that the matter was now closed, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

"We have ended trade and relations with Israel. This issue is now settled. We will continue to fully support Palestine in its just struggle," he said.

Erdoğan also expressed hope that US President-elect Donald Trump would take a different approach towards the region.

"There may be periodic reports that cause us concern, but we must wait until January," he stated, urging countries to stop supplying weapons to Israel.

The Turkish president’s comments reflect his longstanding stance in support of Palestine, particularly in the wake of recent escalations in the region.

Notably, Türkiye has strongly condemned recent comments by Israeli officials advocating for the annexation of the occupied West Bank. The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement rejecting these remarks, calling them a violation of international law and the two-state solution. The Ministry further accused Israel of seeking to seize Palestinian territories, labelling its actions as part of a broader policy of genocide and occupation.

The condemnation follows statements by Israel’s far-right Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who declared that 2025 would mark the “year of annexation” for the West Bank. Smotrich also announced plans for a formal annexation strategy. This aligns with earlier reports suggesting he had a “secret plan” to annex the territory and prevent its inclusion in a future Palestinian state.

Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need for the international community, especially the UN Security Council, to take action against Israel’s "unlawful" actions. The call for annexation coincides with ongoing reports of Israeli settlement expansions in the West Bank, despite these settlements being deemed illegal under international law.

In related developments, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed Palestinians' right to self-determination in July, emphasizing the illegality of Israeli settlements in occupied territories. Despite this, more than 720,000 illegal Israeli settlers remain in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The Turkish government’s statement highlights the growing international concern over Israel's policies in the region, calling for greater accountability and adherence to international law.

By Aghakazim Guliyev