ALGIERS, Algeria

Recent statements by the European Union and major countries such as the UK, France and Spain on trade relations with Israel give some hope of preventing further bloodshed in Palestine, Türkiye’s trade minister said Tuesday.

Noting that Türkiye had suspended trade relations with Israel as of May 2024, Omer Bolat said in a press release that it was only a year later that some European countries slowly began to reciprocate, adding that "it is as if the consciences of the Western world are waking up, albeit too late!"

The UK's decision to suspend free trade negotiations with Israel and the EU's decision to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement at the proposal of the Netherlands are also significant, said Bolat.

On Tuesday, the UK issued its strongest condemnation yet of Israel’s attacks on Gaza and the occupied West Bank, calling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza “abominable” and announcing a formal pause to free trade talks with Israel.

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares also said Tuesday that Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip “makes no sense, unless it wants to turn Gaza into a vast cemetery.”

On Tuesday, the EU announced that it will launch a review of its granting trade privileges to Israel amid mounting concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

France also supports reexamining the EU-Israel Association Agreement, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Tuesday.

At the same time, a call by 22 European countries on Monday for Israel to immediately stop its attacks on Gaza and the West Bank and allow humanitarian aid to immediately enter Gaza will put significant pressure on Israel, Bolat said.

He stressed that if other countries had followed Türkiye's decision to halt trade with Israel 13 months ago, the destruction, loss of life and injuries in Gaza would not have been so much.

Although the international community has the power to collectively put a stop to Israel's aggression, it has so far failed to do so, he noted, adding: "The only power to stop Israel is for the countries of the world to act together and put economic, political and military pressure on the Netanyahu government.”

"A genocide and human tragedy is taking place in Gaza. In the world of 2025, these scenes of atrocities committed by Israel will go down in the history of humanity as a shame."

- Sanctions on Syria

Bolat also touched on the lifting of sanctions on Syria by the US and the EU.

"We welcome the belated lifting of EU and US sanctions against Syria as a result of our president's initiatives with the new US administration and the leaders of the EU.

"Thus, after the formation of a national unity government in Syria, the lifting of financial and trade sanctions, which were the most important obstacle to Syria's integration into the world and the flow of financial resources during this transition period is a very important development," he said.

He said from now on, the way will be paved for trade and financial transfers between Syria and other countries, international organizations and the Syrian diaspora.

"This will be an important milestone in the reconstruction, stability and national unity of Syria.

"The persistent initiatives and persuasive efforts of our President (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) on this issue have been embraced by the US administration and the Council of the European Union," he added.