Turkey halts oil exports to Israel amid tensions
According to Xinhua news agency, while Turkey has officially imposed restrictions on direct trade with Israel, oil shipments from Azerbaijan have still been allowed to pass through Turkish ports on their way to Israel. This has raised questions about the effectiveness of Turkey’s embargo and its true extent. Analysts suggest that geopolitical considerations, particularly concerning energy security and regional alliances, may be influencing these exceptions to the embargo, as Turkey remains a key transit hub for oil.
Ankara: Turkey has denied recent media reports claiming that crude oil shipments from Azerbaijan to Israel have been transiting through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, despite the ongoing trade embargo Turkey has imposed against Israel. The reports, which were circulated by international news outlets including Xinhua, suggested that Azerbaijani oil exports, transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, continued to reach Israel through Turkey’s port, contradicting Turkey’s official stance.
The BTC pipeline, a key infrastructure project that runs from Azerbaijan’s oil fields in the Caspian Sea through Georgia and into Turkey’s Ceyhan port, is one of the main export routes for Azerbaijani oil. While Turkey has been vocal about its trade embargo against Israel, imposed in May due to Israeli military actions in Gaza, questions arose when reports indicated that oil shipments meant for Israeli ports were still passing through Turkish territory.
In response to these reports, Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry issued a statement on Monday, strongly rejecting the claims. The ministry clarified that companies using the BTC pipeline respect Ankara’s position against trade with Israel and have refrained from sending oil deliveries designated for Israeli ports. It further emphasized that the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAS), which is responsible for managing the BTC pipeline within Turkey, has no involvement in or discretion over the sale or final destination of the oil transported through the pipeline. According to the ministry, BOTAS only oversees the transportation and management of oil passing through Turkish territory, and does not control or influence the decisions made by the exporting companies regarding where the oil is sold.
Turkey’s denial comes amid heightened attention to its diplomatic relations with Israel, which have been strained for years, particularly over the Palestinian issue. The trade embargo against Israel was introduced in May 2024 as a response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, marking a significant shift in Turkey’s foreign policy stance toward Israel. While Turkey’s trade relations with Israel have long been influenced by political dynamics, including the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the recent escalation in Gaza prompted Ankara to take more direct action, leading to the suspension of bilateral trade.
The Turkish Statistical Institute reported that, despite the tensions, Turkey’s trade with Israel reached significant levels in 2023, with exports from Turkey to Israel valued at 5.4 billion USD and imports from Israel amounting to 1.6 billion USD. The volume of trade underscores the complex and ongoing economic relationship between the two countries, even as political relations continue to face challenges.
Ties between Turkey and Israel have been particularly strained since 2010, when a deadly raid by Israeli forces on a Turkish aid flotilla bound for Gaza resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists. The incident severely damaged diplomatic relations, and despite occasional efforts at reconciliation, the two countries’ ties have remained under tension, particularly with regard to Turkey’s outspoken support for Palestinians and its criticism of Israeli policies.
In light of this history, Turkey’s denial of the oil shipment reports serves as a reaffirmation of its policy stance toward Israel, as well as an attempt to clarify its position on the BTC pipeline’s role in international oil trade. Despite the complexity of regional politics, Turkey has maintained that it will not allow oil from Azerbaijan to be funneled to Israeli ports via its territory.