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Türkiye has placed a veto on all NATO engagement with Israel since October 2023 due to Tel Aviv’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, sources familiar with the situation revealed on Thursday. This move underscores Ankara’s strong opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza, which it condemns as genocide. Türkiye asserts that NATO should not engage with Israel as a partner until the conflict ceases.
Israel, a NATO partner, has traditionally maintained close relations with the alliance and its leading member, the United States. However, Turkey’s stance marks a significant shift in its foreign policy, reflecting its severe disapproval of Israel’s military operations, which began following Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Before the recent escalation, Turkey had been working to repair its strained relations with Israel. Nevertheless, since the start of Israel’s assault on Gaza, Turkey has criticized the operation vehemently and halted bilateral trade with Israel. Ankara has also criticized Western nations for their support of Israel and has now barred all NATO interactions with the Israeli government, including joint meetings and military exercises.
The United Nations had previously reported in June that both Israel and Hamas committed war crimes in the initial stages of the conflict. The U.N. described Israel’s actions as crimes against humanity due to the high civilian casualties, a claim Israel disputes, maintaining that its operations are targeted at eradicating Hamas, which has resulted in nearly 40,000 deaths.
Turkey has pledged to continue its veto of NATO engagements with Israel until the Gaza conflict concludes. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has stated that NATO’s partnership with Israel cannot continue under the current circumstances.
In response to Erdoğan’s statements, Israel’s foreign minister suggested that NATO expel Turkey. However, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan dismissed this possibility, noting that other NATO members, such as Spain, Ireland, and Norway, have also recently recognized Palestine.