After reactions to horrible massacre in Palestine by Latin American states, some people also call Turkey to severe all trade and diplomatic relationships with occupation entity in Palestine and blame Erdogan not to be sincere on his calls against such massacres and continuous oppression while he is first and sometimes the only government leader to criticize the unacceptable situation in Palestine. It might sound right to call for such action and justify criticism towards Erdogan and Turkey since trade increases between the two and low level diplomatic ties still exist. However this reasoning has following setbacks:

1. Trade amount increases and it is natural due to fast economic growth of Turkey. While it cannot be said for imports, exports from Turkey include the trade with Palestinians living under occupation. All goods go through customs of occupation entity and reported trade between Turkey and them. This might mislead some people.
2. Not all exports to Palestinians are actually goods for trade but include items donated to Palestinians by official or NGO institutions.

1. Abovementioned charity activities include building or renovating hospitals and  schools, supporting thousands of orphans, of which number occupation entity aims to increase day by day, providing medical equipment and various medical aid etc.
2. Donations from Turkey to occupied Palestinian areas struggling under brutal siege are among the most significant help they receive from abroad and even it may be on top of that list. Any action that could hinder such work would help isolation of Palestinians and benefit besieging occupation entity.

1. Diplomatic relationships, still maintained at low level despite well-known problems, helps Turkish donations and charity workers reach Palestine without major problems most of the time although despairing obstacles by occupation entity try to discourage people and institutions.

With respect to above points, severing all trade and diplomatic relationships with occupation entity as some people demand would hurt Palestinians already suffering under terror attacks by occupation forces. Occupation entity is not one of the most important trade partners of Turkey and stopping all trade relationships would not hurt the economy at all. However, that move would prevent Turkey helping Palestinians directly via various humanitarian aid activities. Just think about how Palestinians, especially those in Gaza, are dependent of such aid from abroad and what good it would do for them to make the relations between Turkey and occupation entity exactly similar to those between U.S. and North Korea.

In brief, Turkey is not like those Latin American states that have rightfully severed ties with occupation entity in protest of its massacres. Their physical ties to Palestinians are almost non-existent unlike Turkey. So, despite how desirable it sounds and how much our hearts wish for it, complete severance of relationships with occupation entity by any country involved in active aid efforts in occupied areas would hurt besieged and attacked innocent civilians of Palestine and that cannot be accepted by any means. Their well-being as long oppressed people should come before our desires and political gains. Unless free direct access to Palestinian controlled areas without intervention of occupation forces by any means is ensured forever countres like Turkey cannot bear the consequences of cutting all relationships with occupying entity to absolute none.

Rafte Sucu