First call between Turkish, Israeli FMs overshadowed by Ben-Gvir
Turkey's foreign minister told his newly appointed Israeli counterpart that the Israeli security minister's visit to the Jerusalem holy site was "unacceptable."
The first contact between the top Turkish diplomat and his new Israeli counterpart got off to a rocky start on Wednesday when Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Eli Cohen that Itamar Ben-Gvir’s visit to a Jerusalem holy site was “unacceptable.”
Cavusoglu described Israeli National Security Minister Ben-Gvir’s visit to Temple Mount, known to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, as “a provocative action,” during a congratulatory phone call to Israel's new foreign minister on his new post, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. Cavusoglu “reminded” Cohen of Turkey's “sensitivities and expectations,” according to the statement. The Turkish Foreign Ministry also condemned the move, calling on Israel “to act responsibly,” earlier in the week.
