Turkey has severed all ties with Israel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced. “The government of the Republic of Turkey, under the leadership of Tayyip Erdogan, will not continue or develop relations with Israel,” Erdogan said. “Our ruling coalition is resolute in its decision to cut ties with Israel, and we will maintain this stance in the future as well. We, as the Republic of Turkey and its government, have currently severed all relations with Israel.”
Erdogan also emphasized that Turkey would do everything in its power to hold Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accountable for his actions in Gaza, which international human rights groups have described as genocide. Earlier in 2024, Turkey intervened in a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in support of Palestine and advocated for an arms embargo against Tel Aviv. Erdogan said 52 countries and two international organizations had expressed their support for the arms embargo initiative Turkey launched at the United Nations in early November, aimed at preventing the shipment of weapons and ammunition to Israel. “We recently submitted our formal letter regarding this initiative to the president of the United Nations Security Council and the secretary-general of the United Nations,” Erdogan said. “During our summit in Riyadh, a decision was made to invite all organizations and members of the Arab League to sign this letter.”
Turkish-Israeli relations have deteriorated sharply since a meeting between Erdogan and Netanyahu in New York in September of 2023, which was intended to symbolize reconciliation between the two nations. However, following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza, which has killed more than 43,000 Palestinians, Ankara has intensified its criticism of the Netanyahu government. This led to a series of actions, including legal measures and trade sanctions, especially after the local elections in Turkey where Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was punished in part over its weak response to the war on Gaza. Since September, ongoing Turkish trade with Israel through third countries and Palestine has sparked a public pressure campaign by the opposition, who accused Erdogan of failing to close loopholes that facilitate continued interaction.
Turkey possesses one of the largest and most formidable armies in NATO. With over 355,000 active personnel and a reserve force of around 378,000, the Turkish Armed Forces are highly capable and well-equipped. The country also maintains significant technological resources, including a burgeoning domestic arms industry that produces drones, armored vehicles, and precision-guided missiles. Turkey’s Bayraktar drones have gained international recognition, having been deployed effectively in conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
If tensions between Turkey and Israel escalate into direct confrontation, military analysts suggest Turkey’s geographic proximity to Israel and its large ground forces could play a significant role. Turkey’s potential deployment of air defense systems in Syria could also directly challenge Israel’s ability to conduct military operations in the region. Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria to target Iranian-linked forces and arms shipments to Hezbollah. Turkish-backed military infrastructure could hinder Israel’s strategic objectives, creating future conflict.
Biblical Connections: We have seen over the last few years the dramatic shift in Turkey, moving away from NATO and getting much closer ties to both Russia and Iran. That Turkey is now willing to openly go against Israel and given their alliances with Iran and Russia, it is very possible that the table is being set for the future Gog-Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39.
PRAY: Pray for the peace and safety of Israel during these troubling times.
