Turkey has blocked Israel from participating in NATO military drills, contingent on achieving a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The decision follows a series of deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel after the events in Gaza. Turkish officials deny that this blockade relates to Israel’s activities in Syria, however, they emphasize Turkey’s long-standing opposition to new NATO cooperations with Israel until humanitarian conditions improve.
Turkey has announced it will impede any new collaboration, particularly military drills, between Israel and NATO until a permanent ceasefire is established in Gaza. This decision was communicated to Middle East Eye by Turkish official sources. A report from Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth disclosed that Turkey had barred Israel from participating in NATO’s impending exercise on “resilience and emergency preparedness” scheduled in Bulgaria for this September.
Israeli sources corroborated that Ankara has indeed obstructed their involvement in the drill. One Israeli source speculated that this action could coincide with remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding the protection of Druze and Kurdish communities in Syria, concerns that have irritated Ankara due to its perceptions of Israeli intentions towards Syria.
However, a Turkish official denied that the blockade was linked to Syria, asserting that measures against Israel’s NATO engagements have been in place for over a year. “We have been blocking Israel’s new engagements with NATO for over a year,” the source clarified. They explained, “Until a permanent ceasefire is achieved in Gaza and the obstacles to humanitarian aid are removed, we do not allow new… activities to be organised in NATO regarding Israel.”
Ankara’s history includes previous obstruction of Israel’s bid for observer status within NATO, a position temporarily lifted during recent reconciliation efforts between the two nations. Turkish-Israeli relations have sharply declined since a September 2023 meeting between Erdogan and Netanyahu, intended to symbolize reconciliation. The dynamics shifted dramatically following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, leading to Israel’s military actions in Gaza and increasing Ankara’s criticism of the Netanyahu government.
This chain of events has triggered various reactions from Turkey, including legal actions and trade sanctions against Israel. The public pressure on President Erdogan amplified after local elections in Turkey, wherein his ruling Justice and Development Party lost support due to perceptions of a weak response to the Gaza war. Additionally, Turkey has engaged in a legal case at the International Court of Justice against Israel, accusing it of genocide in Gaza.
Turkish interests in trade with Israel, particularly exercised through third countries, have also drawn public scrutiny and criticism from opposition parties alleging Erdogan’s failure to close exploitative loopholes regarding trade relations with Israel amid the ongoing conflict.
In summary, Turkey’s blockade of Israel from NATO military drills stems from its demand for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and a halt to humanitarian aid obstructions. This move reflects the deterioration of Turkish-Israeli relations, further exacerbated by recent military actions in Gaza. Ankara’s stance against Israel’s NATO engagements indicates its determination to leverage its veto power within the alliance while facing internal pressures from opposition groups. The implications of this blockade may influence future diplomatic relations and NATO’s operational dynamics.
Original Source: www.middleeasteye.net
