ALBAWABA - Turkey said on Friday that it was stopping all trade and economic ties with Israel and closing its airspace to Israeli planes. This was in response to what Turkey called Israel's "continued massacres" in Gaza and its growing aggressive policies in the region. Hakan Fidan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, made the announcement during a press conference in Ankara.
Fidan said that Turkey's decision comes at a time when Israel is still carrying out military operations in Gaza. He accused Tel Aviv of trying to take over the whole enclave and destroy the two-state solution with full U.S. support.
He called Israel's "brutal starvation policy" to force Palestinians out of Gaza "brutal," and he said that Israel's restrictions on humanitarian aid have led to the deaths of thousands of civilians, including many children.
Fidan said that Israel's main goal is to make Gaza unlivable and warned that its policies are meant to permanently move Palestinians out of the area.
The Turkish foreign minister said that Israel's aggressive actions are no longer limited to Gaza; they now include Jerusalem, the West Bank, Syria, Iran, and Lebanon.
Fidan said that Israeli leaders and extremist ministers were making things worse by repeatedly raiding Al-Aqsa Mosque, which he said was a deliberate attempt to make things worse in the region.
He also said that Israel's actions could cause chaos in the whole Middle East and that Tel Aviv was ignoring international law and acting without fear of punishment.
Turkey's diplomatic work
Fidan said that Turkey is still working with Qatar and Egypt to find a complete answer to the Palestinian problem. He said again that Turkey is against any Israeli plans that threaten stability in the region. He stressed that Turkey will not allow Israeli policies to create a weak or divided Syria.
The minister also said he was worried about the rising tensions between Israel and Iran. He warned that if the two countries fought directly, it could be a serious threat to the safety and stability of the whole region.
