Diplomats return to reevaluate ties with Türkiye: Israel

ANKARA

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen has announced that Israeli diplomats, including Ambassador Irit Lillian, have returned to Israel for the reevaluation of ties with Türkiye following grave statements from Turkish officials over the ongoing Israeli military offensive against Gaza.

“Given the grave statements coming from Turkey, I have ordered the return of diplomatic representatives there in order to conduct a reevaluation of the relations between Israel and Turkey,” read a statement by Minister Cohen on X, formerly Twitter, late on Oct. 28.

Ambassador Lillian and other diplomatic representatives of Israel left Türkiye on Oct. 19 due to security concerns in the face of growing demonstrations in front of the Israeli diplomatic representations in Ankara and Istanbul.

The statement by Cohen indicates a growing row between Ankara and Tel Aviv in recent days as the Israeli offensive killed thousands of civilians, including children, in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Israeli attacks amounted to genocide and Israeli officials are committing war crimes.

Türkiye and Israel exchanged ambassadors in late 2022 after a five-year hiatus. Ankara has not announced whether it will withdraw its ambassador and other diplomats from Israel.