Above photo: A pro-Palestine rally in November in Istanbul. AA.
President Erdogan has refused to end exports to Israel.
Despite his harsh public criticism of Israel’s brutal war on Gaza.
Police in Istanbul on 6 April used brutal tactics to detain 43 Turkish protesters demanding the end of trade between Turkiye and Israel amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.
Video of Turkish riot police harshly forcing protesters into police vans near the famous shopping district on Istiklal Street spread on social media under the hashtag “#israilleticaretedurde.”
A video released by Turkish activists following the protests stated, “More than 30 of our friends were tortured and detained by the police. The occupying state of Israel continues a genocide in Palestinian lands.”
Protestors are angered that despite President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s harsh public condemnations of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza, the Turkish government has continued to allow Turkish companies to export food, oil, energy, and steel to Israel.
The activists’ video added, “We gathered to march in front of the Istanbul trade directorate to expose this trade. Those who say we cannot interfere with the private sector’s trade are lying.”
The Turkish Minister of Interior, Ali Yerlikaya, released a statement acknowledging the arrests.
“After the protest ended, the demonstrators dispersed, but one group did not disperse despite all warnings; They resisted the security forces by insulting state officials,” he wrote on the social media site X.
“43 people were detained in connection with the incident, 38 of them were released after an ID check, and judicial proceedings were taken against five people after their statements were taken.”
Yerlikaya added that two police officers involved in detaining protestors were suspended, and a civil inspector was immediately assigned to review the incident.
Translation: Immediately release our 43 friends, including 1 child, whom you detained under torture! We stand with our friends with whom we fight for Palestine! Support the #İsrailleTicareteDurDe tag, let’s raise our voices!
President Erdogan has previously compared Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler but has not ordered a halt to Istanbul’s robust trade with Tel Aviv.
Trading Economics reported that Turkiye exported almost $319 million in goods to Israel in January.
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute’s Foreign Trade Statistics Database, items exported to Israel include precious metals, chemicals, insecticides, nuclear reactor parts, gunpowder, explosives, aircraft parts, and weapons and ammunition.
The Karar daily reported in March that Turkish trade activity with Israel is primarily driven by companies affiliated with the Independent Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association (MUSIAD), which is known for supporting the Turkish president.
Karar’s report cites companies that continue to export to Israel, such as Evyap Holding, ICDAS, Pamukkale Kablo, Eren Holding, and Tosyali. The sectors involved include textiles, energy, construction materials, and defense-related products.
Israel’s war on Gaza and its civilian population has continued for over six months, killed over 33,000 Palestinians, and destroyed large swathes of the besieged enclave.