Insult is continuously added to injury. Since the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan has used every opportunity to shore up his support for Hamas, while vilifying Jerusalem. At this juncture, it is high time for Israel to realize that it has options. It does not have to entertain Ankara’s vitriol, antisemitism and its support for terrorism—all of which undermine Jerusalem’s security on a daily basis. Israel should do what Erdogan pretends to want to do: boycott Turkish goods.
Take the latest development. On January 15, Sagiv Jehezkel, an Israeli soccer player, who played for Turkish team Antalyaspor was detained by Turkish authorities, and subsequently deported to Israel. His crime? After scoring a goal for his team during a game “Jehezkel jogged to the corner of the field, where a group of photographers was positioned. He pointed to a handwritten message on a band of tape on his left wrist that included a six-pointed Star of David and “100 days, 7/10” — a reference to the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on Oct. 7.”
Turkish authorities took action against Jehezkel for spreading “propaganda” and was subsequently “was charged under Turkey’s penal code for ‘inciting people to hatred and hostility.” Let us forget for a moment that this is an ambiguous legal provision. Did Jehezkel have legal representation in a court of law? Were his actions even deliberated before a judge and considered as freedom of expression? At what point was he found guilty, and who decided that deportation was the right course of action? Was his statement ever taken? Has he been offered any chance to appeal? What is clear from all of this is that due process was not even a factor when deciding to oust Jehezkel. On the other hand, the overall aim was to smear Israel, denigrate those who support their country’s efforts to fight terrorism and make an international spectacle out of it.
Similar acts have been taking place since October 7. As the military campaign to eliminate Hamas has progressed, Erdogan has used every opportunity to insult Israel. Shortly after the attacks, he referred to Hamas as a group of “mujahadeen” freedom fighters, attempting to underplay the terror attacks that saw the rape, mutilation and murder of over 1400 Israeli civilians. He has compared Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu to a “Nazi” and referred to him as the “butcher of Gaza.” Institutionally, Ankara has continued to provide material aid to Hamas. Two shipments of goods was seized by Israeli authorities in the summer of 2023-prior to the October 7 attacks, and in December 2023. Both contained raw materials used to make weapons, and intended to be delivered to Hamas.
Inside Turkey, the Erdogan government has begun witch hunts against alleged Mossad agents. 33 individuals were arrested and charged in early January 2024, all “suspected of spying for Israel on Tuesday.” On New Year’s Eve, Erdogan’s son, Bilal Erdogan convened a massive pro-Hamas rally in Istanbul, attended by thousands, calling for Turkish citizens to boycott Israeli and American goods. As Bilal Erdogan’s voice bellowed from loud speakers, economists were calculating the increased level of trade between Israel and Turkey-over 30% since the October 7 attacks. Among the beneficiaries of bilateral trade are former Turkish prime minister, Binali Yildirim and Burak Erdogan (Erdogan’s other son). If you believe this all sounds too hypocritical and duplicitous, that’s because it is. Erdogan wants to have his cake and eat it. On the one hand, he revels in demeaning Israel in front of swaths of his supporters at public rallies. On the other, he stays silent on actually implementing the boycott against Israel he has long been crying for. There is a cherry on top of all of this: Erdogan has offered Turkey’s services as a mediator to end the war in Gaza, and act as a “guarantor” state to ensure the rights of Palestinians are safe guarded, while pursuing a two-state solution. You can’t make this up.
Israel can help Erdogan out. It can do what Erdogan cannot: boycott Turkish goods. It is admittedly difficult for Israel to turn on a dime and find alternative suppliers for what it readily buys from Turkey under existing contracts. However, if a Turkish soccer club can summarily terminate a player’s contract and deport him, it is only reasonable for Israel to terminate existing contracts with Turkish suppliers once alternate suppliers are located. Additionally, Turkey has been interested in participating in gaining access to the East Mediterranean Gas Forum (EMGF), and pipe Mediterranean natural gas through Turkey. Jerusalem can and should prevent this and demonstrate to Ankara that actions have consequences. While the Israeli government is busy fighting Hamas, it can also act to halt Erdogan’s tempestuous and petulant childishness. An Israeli boycott of Turkish goods will dampen Erdogan’s bluster and offer him the opportunity to reflect and perhaps learn that even the realm of business is based on trust and decorum.
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