© Photo: Maria Novoselova/Vestnik Kavkaza
Türkiye summoned an Israeli ambassador to Ankara for the consultations. Türkiye does not intend to sever diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry informed about the recall of the ambassador to Israel. It is clarified that consultations will be held with the diplomatic representative amid the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas radicals.
“It has been decided to recall our Ambassador in Tel Aviv, Shakir Ozkan Torunlar, to Ankara for consultations in light of the unfolding humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip,”
– the press service of the Turkish Foreign Ministry informs.
The Turkish diplomatic representative was appointed to Israel last year amid the restoration of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Difficulties in Türkiye-Israel relationship
Israeli-Turkish diplomatic relations can hardly be called cloudless. Thus, in 2010, Israeli troops attacked the Turkish Mavi Marmara ship carrying humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip. As a result of the attack, nine Turkish citizens died. Explaining what happened, the authorities of the countries exchanged accusations of supporting terrorism in the Middle East. The diplomatic relations were effectively terminated.
Relations between Israel and Türkiye remained low until 2018, when the move of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem caused another round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as a result of which 50 residents of the Gaza Strip died. Ankara also recalled the ambassador from Israel to Türkiye for consultations, simultaneously accusing the authorities of the Jewish state of the Palestinian population genocide.
The diplomatic relations were restored last year: the parties agreed to restore bilateral cooperation and return the ambassadors.
Another escalation in Gaza, which began after the attack by Palestinian radicals from Hamas on the territory of the Jewish state in October, brought diplomatic relations between Israel and Türkiye to the brink.
The Turkish President, commenting on what is happening in Gaza, stated that he no longer perceives the head of the Israeli government as an interlocutor. He assured that he will do everything to ensure that Israel is held accountable for offenses in the Gaza Strip.
