Turkish parliamentarian exposes alleged deception as commercial ship destinations to Israel altered

ANKARA — Turkish Member of Parliament Necmettin Çalışkan from the Islamist Saadet Partisi (SP) has accused the Turkish government of manipulating the travel documents of commercial ships bound for Israel. This disclosure adds to the skepticism surrounding Ankara’s professed commitment to the Palestinian cause.

The Turkish government of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan faces increasing scrutiny over the credibility of its claims that it will cut ties with Israel amid the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Çalışkan alleged that Turkish authorities are diverting the routes of commercial ships departing from Turkish ports to Israel.

Stating that this information was obtained from a member of the ruling Justice and Development Party (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi, AKP), Çalişkan urged the government to sever trade ties with Israel. Protests against the alleged actions of the Turkish government have erupted in various cities across the country.

Official data from the Turkish Statistical Institute reveals a significant surge in Turkey’s exports to Israel, reaching approximately $7 billion in 2022 compared to less than $1 billion in 2002. Under the AKP, Turkish trade volume witnessed a remarkable 532% increase over the past two decades.

Amid the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, Turkish exports to Israel experienced a notable uptick, rising by 29% compared to the same period last year. The current year has seen a 20% increase in Turkish exports to Israel compared to the previous year, adding a layer of complexity to Turkey’s geopolitical relations.