Turkish police detained 20 protesters in Ankara on October 7 during a demonstration against Turkey’s ongoing trade with Israel, despite a government-imposed ban.
The protest, organized by the group Filistin İçin Bin Genç (One Thousand Youths for Palestine), coincided with the first anniversary of Hamas’s attack on Israel.
Following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which led to the death of approximately 1,200 Israelis, Israel launched an intense military campaign on Gaza. This bombardment, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry — has drawn widespread international condemnation. Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), following a case brought by South Africa in late 2023.
Turkey, one of Israel’s most vocal critics, has strongly denounced Israel’s actions in Gaza.
In May 2024 the Turkish government announced a halt in exports to Israel after a public outcry over Israel’s military actions in Gaza.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has repeatedly accused Israel of “genocidal behavior” and compared the Netanyahu administration’s actions to those of Nazi Germany.
However, while official data show a near cessation of direct exports to Israel, trade with Palestine has surged to unprecedented levels, raising questions about whether goods are being rerouted to Israel.
Protesters gathered in the Turkish capital to voice their opposition to what they claimed was the Turkish government’s continued trade with Israel.
The protest began peacefully but escalated after demonstrators attempted to march to the headquarters of the Trade Ministry. Police intervened with tear gas and detained 20 protesters who refused to disperse.
The group had also attempted to hold a protest in İstanbul the same day, where police similarly blocked demonstrators from marching.
Members of Filistin İçin Bin Genç said their protests were aimed at exposing the Turkish government’s hypocrisy in its dealings with Israel.
According to the group, Turkish businesses are continuing to supply goods, particularly steel and construction materials.
Recent data from the Turkish Exporters’ Assembly (TİM) revealed a significant increase in Turkish exports of steel to Palestine, which surged by an astonishing 30,930 percent in September 2024 compared to the same period the previous year.
In 2023 Turkey exported $156,700 worth of steel to Palestine in September, while this figure skyrocketed to $48.6 million in September 2024.
This massive increase has fueled speculation that the exports are not truly destined for Palestine but are instead rerouted to Israel.
Investigative journalist Metin Cihan accused the Turkish government of using Palestine as a cover to continue supplying critical materials to Israel’s military and economy.
“The steel figures are staggering, and they reveal how Turkish businesses are still supplying Israel under the guise of Palestinian imports,” Cihan said. “Turkey is supposed to be standing with Palestine, but it’s clear that this is all just a facade.”
Cihan’s investigations also pointed to the hypocrisy of pro-government figures like Mustafa Destici, the leader of the Grand Unity Party (BBP), who has publicly supported Palestine while allegedly profiting from trade with Israel.
Destici has repeatedly condemned Israel’s military actions and called for international action to stop what he refers to as “genocide” in Gaza.
However, Cihan accused Destici of hypocrisy, highlighting that a company tied to Destici’s party has been supplying cables to the Israeli military.
“Destici preaches pro-Palestinian rhetoric, but at the same time, his associates are doing business with the Israeli military,” Cihan said. “One of the BBP’s prominent figures, Mustafa Semerci, who owns Pamukkale Kablo, has been supplying cables directly to the Israeli government. The company disguises these sales as exports to Palestine, but they’re ultimately benefiting the Israeli military.”
Cihan has been revealing the extent of Turkey’s trade with Israel since November, and his reports ultimately led to a public outcry that resulted in the government imposing a trade ban in May.
Cihan’s later accusations have raised serious questions about the integrity of Turkey’s trade ban on Israel and the actions of high-profile figures within the Erdoğan administration and its allied political parties.
“This is the height of hypocrisy,” Cihan added. “On the one hand, they claim to stand in solidarity with Palestine, but on the other, they continue to trade with Israel, profiting from its military needs.”
The protests in Ankara and İstanbul reflect growing frustration among pro-Palestinian groups who feel that the Turkish government is not doing enough to support Palestine despite its strong rhetoric against Israel.
Demonstrators in Ankara carried banners condemning both Israel’s military actions in Gaza and what they described as the Turkish government’s complicity in supplying Israeli forces with critical materials.