The Israeli government had sought permission for President Herzog’s plane to fly through Turkish airspace en route to Baku, Azerbaijan, where he was scheduled to attend the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29).
However, Turkish authorities declined the request. Israeli media reported that President Herzog subsequently canceled his trip to Azerbaijan, citing “security concerns” as the reason for the decision.
Relations between Türkiye and Israel have been deteriorating since the start of Israel’s devastating offensive against Gaza following a cross-border attack by Hamas in October 2023. The ongoing onslaught has so far killed nearly 43,800 people and rendered the enclave almost uninhabitable.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.
