Protest against 'trade with Israel' during Erdoğan's speech

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faced protest from a citizen over allegations that Turkey has continued crude oil shipments to Israel despite an embargo announced in May in response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza during a speech at the TRT World Forum in İstanbul on Friday.

Hecklers accused Erdoğan, shouting, “Zionists are continuing their operations in our seas and ports. Ships are carrying bombs to Gaza.” 

Erdoğan responded by saying, “My dear, do not become the mouthpiece of Zionists here. No matter how much you try to provoke this place, you will not succeed. Zionists around the world know very well where Tayyip Erdoğan stands, but it seems you still don’t understand."”

The protesters were quickly removed from the hall. One individual was reportedly restrained, with security attempting to cover their mouth.

The protest highlighted growing discontent over Turkey’s actions regarding Israel. It comes amid accusations that ships carrying goods to Israel, including explosives, are using Turkish ports, as well as new reports suggesting that oil shipments from Turkey’s Ceyhan port have continue to supply Israel.

A recent investigation led by the Stop Fuelling Genocide campaign, supported by Progressive International, has revealed that Turkey’s southern Ceyhan port continues to ship crude oil to Israel. Researchers analyzed shipping data, satellite imagery and port logs to track the movement of tankers, such as the Seavigour, which reportedly loaded Azeri crude oil at Ceyhan on October 28.

The vessel turned off its tracking signal after entering the eastern Mediterranean on October 30 and reappeared near Sicily a week later, having offloaded its cargo. Satellite imagery confirmed that the Seavigour docked at the EAPC terminal near Ashkelon, Israel, on November 5.

This evidence contradicts claims by Turkey’s energy minister, who denied that any tankers bound for Israel had departed from Ceyhan since the embargo began.

The Ceyhan port is the endpoint of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which transports crude oil from Azerbaijan. Oil from this pipeline accounts for nearly 30 percent of Israel’s crude imports. Azerbaijan’s oil exports to Israel have surged since the start of the year, quadrupling from 523,554 tons in January to 2,372,248 tons in September.

The research has reignited calls for accountability. Advocacy group Oil Change International and other organizations emphasize that crude oil from the BTC pipeline is refined and used to power Israeli military equipment, including in its operations in Gaza.

The report warns that if the International Court of Justice determines that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, those involved in supplying fuel could be found complicit in failing to prevent genocide.

Despite Erdoğan’s strong rhetoric against Israel, critics accuse him of enabling trade that undermines his public stance.

The protests at the TRT World Forum show growing frustration in Turkey over Ankara’s contradictory actions. Activists and advocacy groups are calling for enforcement of the embargo to align Turkey’s policies with its stated support for Palestine.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan faced protest from a citizen over allegations that Turkey has continued crude oil shipments to Israel despite an embargo announced in May in response to Israel’s military actions in Gaza during a speech at the TRT World Forum in İstanbul on… pic.twitter.com/Jc0VXB1ZCI

— Olomoinfo (@Olomoinfo) November 30, 2024