Istanbul, Turkish diplomatic sources confirmed that the Israeli diplomats left Turkey on October 19, and not as Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen claimed, that he gave instructions for the return of his diplomatic representatives in Turkey to Israel.
Turkish diplomatic sources indicated in press statements in response to Cohen’s claims that the Israeli diplomats in Turkey had already left the country a while ago and that they are not in Turkey at the present time, as they left the country as of the 19th of this month.
It confirmed, "In the memorandum they sent to the Turkish Foreign Ministry on October 18, they stated that in light of recent developments, diplomats at the embassy will leave Turkey as of October 19."
The sources said: “It is difficult to understand to whom Cohen instructed to return to Israel because the diplomats he mentioned in his statement have already left our country.”
Israeli diplomats at the Tel Aviv embassy in Ankara, including Ambassador Irit Lilian, left Turkey on October 19 for “security” reasons.
Earlier Saturday, Cohen said that he had instructed Israeli diplomats in Turkey to return with the aim of "re-evaluating relations" between the two countries in light of the official and popular positions rejecting the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.
In a post on the X platform, he referred to the statements issued by Turkey regarding the Israeli attacks on the besieged Gaza Strip.
He added that he had issued instructions to Israeli diplomatic representatives in Turkey to return to their country with the aim of "reconsidering Turkish-Israeli relations.
Source: National Iraqi News Agency