Turkey blocks Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s flight to COP29 in Azerbaijan

Turkey closed skies to Israel’s President who skipped COP29

Turkey has denied Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s request to fly through its airspace on his way to the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, according to reports from Turkey’s semi-official Anadolu Agency. The decision comes amid escalating tensions between Turkey and Israel over the ongoing Gaza conflict.

Herzog had sought permission for his plane to transit through Turkish airspace en route to the international conference, which began on November 11.

However, Turkish authorities rejected the request, citing an anonymous official, Anadolu reported.

According to The Times of Israel, the airspace denial caused Herzog to cancel his planned trip to Azerbaijan, citing “security considerations. ” The Israeli President had been scheduled to participate in COP29, a key event focused on global climate action being hosted in Baku.

The move highlights the strained relations between Turkey and Israel, which have been tense since the 2010 Gaza flotilla incident. Although the two countries had been working towards normalizing diplomatic ties in recent years, the flare-up in violence between Israel and Hamas has reignited old divisions. In response to the ongoing conflict, Turkey has suspended all trade with Israel and called for stronger international action to address the situation.

The refusal to grant Herzog’s flight access further underscores the fragile state of Turkey-Israel relations, with both sides trading accusations over the handling of the Gaza crisis.

The diplomatic standoff over the flight is the latest in a series of political tensions between the two countries.

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