eHalal Palestine
🇮🇱🇯🇴🇸🇦🇦🇪 Arab States’ Trade with Israel: Unveiling Economic Relations Amidst Political Posturing
Recent years have witnessed a significant surge in West Asian exports to Israel, challenging the widely held notion of regional solidarity with Gaza. Israeli import data sheds light on Arab and Muslim governments actively contributing to the occupation state’s trade volume, despite their public statements supporting Palestine.
Since the beginning of this decade, Israeli ports have witnessed a steady influx of goods from Arab nations, not only bolstering Israel’s economy but also introducing a subtle political dimension to these economic interactions.
Leading the pack is Turkey, the first Muslim state to establish diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv. In 2020, Turkish exports to Israel reached $5.7 billion, comprising 6.2 percent of total Israeli imports that year. Key export categories include iron and steel, plastics, electrical and electronic equipment, vehicles, machinery, metals, and building materials.
The UAE, despite normalizing ties with Tel Aviv in the 2020 Abraham Accords, stands as the second-largest contributor to Israeli imports. In 2022, the UAE’s exports were valued at $1.89 billion, representing 2.1 percent of all Israeli imports. Notably, there was a staggering 1543 percent increase in Emirati exports to Israel since the normalization agreement, with precious metals, iron and steel, electrical and electronic equipment, and oil being prominent export categories.
Jordan takes the third spot, with exports to Israel reaching $469.25 million in 2022, marking a 489 percent increase from 2018. Key export categories from Jordan include plastics, electrical and electronic equipment, and iron and steel.
Egypt, the first Arab state to make peace with Israel, exported goods valued at $179.31 million to the occupation state in 2022. Notable export categories include inorganic chemicals, precious metals compounds, building materials, foodstuffs, and plastics.
Surprisingly, Algeria, despite its historical stance against normalization, takes the fifth spot with exports reaching $21.38 million in 2022. Notable export categories include inorganic chemicals, precious metals compounds, and isotopes.
Morocco and Bahrain also feature on the list, with exports amounting to $17.92 million and $10.58 million in 2022, respectively.
The combined exports of West Asian countries to Israel increased by almost 111 percent, totaling $4,359.530,000 between 2020 and 2022.
Israeli Energy Imports and Dependencies
Israel heavily relies on oil and natural gas for its power generation, with 80 percent of its total energy supply coming from these sources. The country is a net exporter of natural gas but imports all its oil supply.
Turkey’s port of Ceyhan plays a crucial role in facilitating most of Israel’s oil imports, serving as a loading point for oil tankers carrying crude from Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Despite political tensions, trade activity remains largely uninterrupted, with Turkey contributing significantly to Israel’s economic well-being.
The data prompts a closer examination of the true positions of states, emphasizing the need to look beyond official rhetoric and consider the economic ties that often remain hidden beneath political posturing. Despite regional tensions and vocal opposition to Israel’s actions, the economic relationships reveal a complex and nuanced reality.