Türkiye’s Minister of Trade, Ömer Bolat, stated that consciences in the Western world are finally beginning to awaken—albeit belatedly—regarding Syria and Israel. Bolat welcomed recent decisions by the United States and the European Union to lift sanctions on Syria and noted that Türkiye’s move to suspend trade with Israel over a year ago is now finding resonance across Europe.
Speaking on recent developments, Bolat said the tragedy in Gaza will go down in human history as “a mark of shame,” and stressed that if the international community acts together, Israel’s aggression can be stopped.
### “A Belated but Welcome Awakening”
Commenting on the steps taken by the UK and the EU concerning their trade relations with Israel, as well as the decision to ease sanctions on Syria, Bolat emphasized that there is a noticeable shift in Western attitudes.
Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye has long maintained a principled position on Syria, Bolat said. He expressed support for the inclusive policies of the new Syrian government established following the December 8 revolution, aimed at achieving national unity and stability.
Bolat welcomed the lifting of financial and trade sanctions by the US and EU as a significant development for Syria’s reconstruction and reintegration into the international community.
### “Opportunities for Cooperation and Recovery”
The minister noted that removing sanctions would open the door for the Syrian diaspora to resume trade and financial transfers. It would also ease cooperation with international institutions and accelerate the country’s economic recovery.
### Europe’s Shifting Stance on Israel
Turning to Europe’s recent approach to Israel, Bolat pointed out that statements from several European countries indicate a potentially hopeful direction toward ending the bloodshed in Palestine.
He recalled that on April 10, 2024, Türkiye halted roughly half of its exports to Israel, and by May 2, 2024, had completely stopped both exports and imports. According to Bolat, this firm stance is now being echoed by European nations a year later.
### “22 European Countries Now Calling for Action”
Bolat underscored the significance of the UK’s decision to suspend free trade talks with Israel and the EU’s move to initiate a review of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. He added that calls from 22 European countries are now creating mounting pressure on Israel.
“If other countries had implemented similar trade suspensions when Türkiye did 13 months ago,” Bolat said, “the scale of destruction and loss of life in Gaza might not have been so devastating.”
He emphasized the need for united global action against Israel’s aggression, describing the situation in Gaza as “genocide and a humanitarian tragedy.” These scenes, he concluded, will be recorded in 2025 as “a mark of shame in the history of humanity.”
