Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed Tuesday that Turkey barred the Israeli presidential plane, Wing of Zion, from using its airspace en route to a UN climate conference in Azerbaijan.
"We did not allow the Israeli president to use our airspace to attend the COP summit. We suggested alternative routes and options," Erdogan told reporters at the G20 Summit in Brazil. "On certain matters, as Turkey, we are compelled to take a stand, and we will continue to do so," he added.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; President Isaac Herzog
(Photo: Mandel Ngan/AFP, Reuters/Umit Bektas)
The decision follows Turkey’s withdrawal of its ambassador to Israel for consultations after the Gaza war began, though diplomatic ties remain intact, and Turkey's embassy in Tel Aviv remains operational. Erdogan also noted that Turkey has severed trade ties with Israel over the war.
President Isaac Herzog had planned to attend the climate conference in Baku on Tuesday aboard the Wing of Zion, the official plane for Israel’s president and prime minister. On Saturday, Herzog’s office announced the trip’s cancellation, citing "security reasons" following a situation assessment.
Erdogan threatens Israel
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Sources in Israel, however, said that the Turkish airspace ban was a contributing factor but not the primary reason for canceling the visit. Security concerns stemming from alternate flight routes due to the Russia-Ukraine war also played a role, officials said. Additionally, Herzog’s recent trip to the U.S. to meet outgoing President Joe Biden meant he would have missed key leadership discussions at the climate summit, reducing the importance of the Baku visit.
Diplomatic tensions arose as Azerbaijan sought to reframe the cancellation’s narrative, expressing displeasure with Israeli media reports. While Herzog canceled, other Israeli ministers attended the conference, traveling on commercial flights through Georgia. It remains unclear why Herzog did not opt for a similar travel arrangement.
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