Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat stated that “our customs system is completely closed to trade with Israel.” Minister Bolat made a statement through a post on social media platform X, indicating that Turkey’s customs system for trade with Israel is closed. He reminded that on May 2, 2024, all exports and imports with Israel were halted. Bolat emphasized that since that date, there have been no customs declarations registered from Turkey to Israel, while exports to Palestine are now entered into the statistical system under their own code. The statement from Minister Bolat reads as follows: “TURKEY’S CUSTOMS SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY CLOSED FOR TRADE WITH ISRAEL! Our government has completely halted all export and import operations with Israel since May 2, 2024, covering all products until Israel declares a permanent ceasefire and allows sufficient and uninterrupted humanitarian aid flow to the Gaza Strip. There are no registered customs declarations for exports and imports from our country to Israel after this date. Similarly, there are no shipments from Israel to our country. Our customs system is completely closed to trade with Israel. Furthermore, as stated in our Decision dated May 2, 2024, exports to Palestine encompassing approximately 6 million inhabitants in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza for the procurement of essential products, are allowed only through mutual agreement reached with the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy, provided that it is officially verified through confirmation with the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy that the destination is Palestine, and the recipient is a Palestinian importer. It has been repeatedly clarified by the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy that these goods are exclusively used by Palestine, which is evident from our trade data. In fact, in 2022, with a total annual import of approximately $7.7 billion, Palestine, with close to 6 million population, makes about 25% of its indirect or direct imports from our country annually. By 2024, our exports to Palestine have started to be entered into the statistical system under their own code, and previous purchases sent to Palestine registered under Israel are now being recorded under Palestine’s own code in our statistical system. In the established and gradually strengthened Turkey-Palestine bilateral trade mechanism, Palestinian importers apply to the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy for each shipment, and after electronically confirming agreed-upon details coordinated by our Ministry, registration processes for shipments are carried out. In the case of export declarations declaring Palestine as the country of destination, ▪ Palestinian import companies first apply to the Palestinian National Economy Ministry; ▪ Upon approval of this application by the Palestinian National Economy Ministry, the confirmation letter prepared is delivered to our country’s electronic confirmation channel. ▪ The customs declaration related to this export, subject to the aforementioned notification, will be registered by the customs authorities only if the submitted confirmation letter has been both generated during this process and approved following evaluations of the products. Our country, in the imports from Palestine, upon approval of the application for export to our country by Palestinian exporters from the Palestinian Ministry of National Economy, will confirm upon proof that the country of origin is Palestine. Furthermore, import and export transactions from Free Zones and warehouses in Palestine are also completed after confirmation through the same electronic approval mechanism. Through this mechanism, our country will continue to meet the needs of the oppressed Palestinian people and provide economic support for Palestine in its just cause.”