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Akbar Novruz

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Israel has appointed Joel Lion as its new charge d’affaires in Türkiye, while its embassy in Ankara remains largely inactive due to security concerns, an Israeli official told Middle East Eye.

Lion, who previously served as Israel’s resident ambassador to Moldova and non-resident ambassador to Armenia, was appointed following the retirement of Ambassador Irit Lillian earlier this year.

He was in Ankara on Wednesday to present his credentials to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

The Israeli official said the embassy’s limited operations were related to security considerations rather than political disagreements, noting that local staff continued to work in Türkiye.

“Both sides agree that the embassy should stay closed over the security issues,” the official said.

Lion’s visit was the first by a senior Israeli official to Türkiye since Israel withdrew diplomatic staff from Ankara and Istanbul in late 2023.

Relations between Israel and Türkiye have deteriorated significantly since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza. Türkiye has strongly criticized Israel’s military operations, later describing them as genocide, and imposed trade restrictions on Israel in 2024.