Turkey Halts NATO-Israel Cooperation Amid Gaza Conflict

Turkey has suspended cooperation between NATO and Israel since October 2023, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza. This decision, made approximately 10 months ago, stems from Turkey's view that the alliance should not engage with Israel as a partner until the hostilities cease.

Israel, a NATO partner since 1994, has cultivated close ties with the military alliance and several of its members, particularly its primary ally, the United States. Prior to Israel's offensive in Gaza, which was triggered by Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023, Turkey had been working to improve its strained relations with Israel.

Since the conflict's onset, Ankara has strongly criticized Israel's operations in Gaza, labeling them as genocide. Turkey has also halted all bilateral trade and condemned many Western allies for their support of Israel.

Sources familiar with the situation report that Turkey has vetoed all NATO engagement with Israel since October 2023, including joint meetings and exercises. Ankara views Israel's actions in Gaza as a violation of NATO's founding principles, which date back to 1949 when the alliance was established with 12 original members.

A UN inquiry in June 2024 concluded that both Israel and Hamas had committed war crimes in the early stages of the Gaza war. The inquiry stated that Israel's actions constituted crimes against humanity due to the extensive civilian casualties. Israel rejects these findings, asserting that its operation in Gaza, which has resulted in nearly 40,000 fatalities, aims to eliminate Hamas.

Turkey, which joined NATO in 1952 and possesses the second-largest army in the alliance after the United States, maintains that it will continue to block Israel's interaction with NATO until the conflict ends. Ankara believes Israel's actions in Gaza violate international law and universal human rights.

"It is not possible for NATO to continue its partnership with the Israeli administration."

This statement was made following a NATO summit in Washington in July 2024. The situation has further escalated, with Israel's foreign minister urging the alliance to expel Turkey after Erdogan appeared to threaten entering Israel, drawing parallels to Turkey's past involvement in Libya and Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ongoing tensions highlight the complex dynamics within NATO, where decision-making requires consensus among all member states. As the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has persisted for over seven decades, continues to impact regional and international relations, Turkey's historical role as a mediator in Middle East conflicts adds another layer of complexity to the situation.