Turkey has not allowed Israeli consul to meet alleged spies

Turkey did not reply to a request by Israel’s consul to meet two Israeli citizens detained in Istanbul for allegedly spying, the Jerusalem Post reported today. The consul apparently submitted the request on Saturday for an urgent visit.

The two Israelis, identified by Israeli media as Natali and Mordy Oaknin, were detained in Turkey after taking photographs of the presidential palace. According to the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s foreign ministry has assembled a task force to handle the diplomatic, legal and consular aspects of the situation. However, the newspaper reported a diplomatic source as saying on Sunday that not much progress has been made related to the issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said that Israel is doing everything to get the two back from Turkey. “These are two innocent citizens who accidentally ended up in a complex situation,” he said, “and we are doing everything to bring the matter to its resolution.”

Turkish media reported that the two Israelis were initially recommended to be deported to Israel, but the prosecution asked that they, along with a Turkish citizen, remain on remand in detention for 20 days because of their alleged “political or military espionage”.

READ: Israel denies espionage charge against couple arrested in Turkey