Climate activist Greta Thunberg accuses Turkey of quietly supporting Israel

Radical Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg appears to call for Israel’s destruction with ‘Free Palestine – From the River to the Sea’ slogan.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

The Swedish climate change activist Greta Thunberg accused the Turkish government of quietly backing Israel, despite Ankara’s imposition of a trade ban on Israel adopted in May, and the bombastic anti-Israel rhetoric of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old activist issued a video statement calling on her supporters to join demonstrations around the world outside Turkish embassies, protesting the use of the Baku, Tbilisi, Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline to transfer Azerbaijani oil to Israel, via the Turkish port city of Ceyhan.

“This is an urgent call to action. On November 11th, we must stand together at Turkish embassies worldwide to demand an end to Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s complicity in the violence against Gaza,” Thunberg said.

“President Erdogan talks of solidarity with Palestine, but Turkey’s ports remain open, allowing oil to flow to Israel, fuel for the very machinery slaughtering Palestinians.”

“The The BTC pipeline, run by BP and Azerbaijan state-owned oil company SOCAR, supplies nearly half of Israel’s oil. Erdogan and [Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham] Aliyev profit by securing their foothold in the global energy market, while Palestinians pay with their lives.”

“On November 11th, we’ll gather at Turkish embassies around the world to demand justice for Palestine and for Turkey and Azerbaijan to end their complicity.”

Thunberg reiterated her accusation of genocide in the Gaza Strip, and appeared to call for the destruction of the State of Israel. “Stop fueling genocide!” Thunberg said.

“Free Palestine, From the River to the Sea.”

Turkey’s Energy Ministry denied that Azerbaijani oil is currently being shipped to Israel via Ceyhan, claiming that such shipments were terminated following the May 2024 trade ban on Israel.

In a statement Monday, the ministry said it was bound by a 1999 agreement establishing the BTC pipeline not to interfere with the transfer of energy, while at the same time denouncing “accusations” that oil continues to be shipped to Israel via Ceyhan as ” completely baseless.”

“Companies transporting oil through the BTC pipeline for export to global markets from the Haydar Aliyev Terminal, have respected Turkey’s recent decision not to engage in trade with Israel,” the ministry said.

“No deliveries to Israel as the delivery destination have taken place.”