Israel summons Turkish deputy ambassador over lowering of flag in Tel Aviv
Türkiye lowered its flags to half-staff at its Embassy in Tel Aviv. (Photo via Anadolu Agency)
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz summoned the Turkish deputy ambassador for a reprimand after the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv lowered its flag to half-mast in honor of the assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Türkiye on Friday lowered its flags to half-staff at its embassy in Tel Aviv and the consulate general in Jerusalem accredited to Palestine, as it observes a day of mourning over the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh.
Haniyeh was assassinated on Wednesday in Tehran, Iran’s capital. While Hamas and Iran blamed Israel for the killing, Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied its involvement.
‘Israel will not accept expressions of participation in mourning’
In a statement issued by his office, Katz expressed strong disapproval of the Turkish embassy’s actions. “Israel will not accept expressions of participation in mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniyeh,” Katz stated.
“If embassy representatives want to mourn, let them go to Türkiye and mourn together with their master (President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan, who embraces the terrorist organization Hamas and supports its murderous acts,” Katz said.
Turkish deputy ambassador summoned
Katz announced that he had instructed Foreign Ministry officials to summon the Deputy Turkish ambassador to Israel for a severe reprimand.
“The State of Israel will not tolerate expressions of mourning for a murderer like Ismail Haniyeh,” Katz reiterated. He added that Haniyeh had led Hamas in committing atrocities on October 7th and had prayed with his associates, wishing success to the murderers while watching horrific images on television.
The incident further strains relations between Israel and Türkiye. Katz’s statement highlighted the ongoing diplomatic friction, criticizing President Erdogan for his support of Hamas.
