• Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE increased trade with Israel, while Turkey covertly ships weapons to Israel despite public condemnation.
• These actions by Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, and Turkey betray the Palestinian cause, prioritizing economic gain and strategic interests over historical solidarity.
Recent developments have revealed significant shifts in Israel’s trade dynamics, notably with Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE, alongside covert military support from Turkey. These shifts further exemplify the betrayal of the Palestinian cause by these so-called Arab and Turkish allies, prioritising economic profit over supporting Palestinian aspirations.
Egypt’s trade with Israel has doubled, driven by exports of food, fresh fish, and construction materials, targeting a bilateral trade volume of $700 million. According to The Observatory of Economic Complexity, Egypt exported $248 million worth of goods to Israel in 2022, including ammonia, petroleum gas, and building stone. Additionally, the approval of natural gas exports from Israel’s Leviathan and Tamar fields to Egypt marks a significant economic cooperation milestone, expected to bring billions of dollars to Israel. This cooperation stands in stark contrast to Egypt’s public support for Palestine, highlighting a prioritization of economic gain over solidarity with Palestinian struggles.
Jordan’s exports to Israel have increased, rising from $32.3 million in mid-2023 to $35.7 million in May 2024. Additionally, the UAE has also seen a substantial increase in trade with Israel since the signing of the Abraham Accords. In May 2024, exports from the UAE to Israel rose to $242 million, compared to $238.5 million in May 2023. This surge is part of a broader trend where economic interests overshadow political commitments to the Palestinian cause.
Turkey’s actions, however, are particularly two-faced. Officially, Turkey’s exports to Israel have been halved due to political tensions and trade bans. However, covertly, Turkey has been shipping weapons to Israel through Greece, by passing official restrictions. This clandestine military support reveals Turkey’s contradictory approach: publicly condemning Israel while quietly enhancing its military capabilities.
Turkey continues to ship weapons and maintain certain exports to Israel due to several factors. Despite official anti-Israel rhetoric, Turkey and Israel have had a long history of military and defense cooperation, including shared intelligence and defense technology transfers. Economically, Turkey benefits significantly from exports to Israel, with exports worth $5.4 billion in 2022. Maintaining these exports, even covertly, helps sustain Turkey’s fragile economy.
Furthermore, domestic political maneuvering plays a pivotal role as Turkish officials face pressure to maintain economic stability. Symbolic measures such as Turkey removing Israeli-affiliated brands from parliamentary cafeterias and government facilities is more representative of political theater rather than making any real actionable economic impact. These actions do not significantly affect the more substantial and lucrative aspects of trade between Turkey and Israel, such as the export of critical materials and goods that contribute significantly to both countries’ economies. Rather, this symbolic gesture was only meant to deceive the public and maintain Turkey’s cover as being anti-Israel. Despite public opposition to Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza, the Turkish government has secretly managed to maintain a level of economic engagement with Israel, balancing internal and external pressures.
These developments represent a profound betrayal of the Palestinian cause by its supposed Arab and Turkish allies. By embracing Israel economically, these nations have sidelined the Palestinian struggle for justice and self-determination. The increased trade and cooperation with Israel demonstrates a troubling shift in priorities, where economic and strategic interests overshadow historical solidarity with Palestine.
