Herzog Flies Commercial to Azerbaijan Summit, Evading Turkish Flight Ban
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog traveled to a summit in Azerbaijan on a commercial flight that passed through Turkish airspace, circumventing Turkey's ban on Israeli government aircraft. The flight avoided a dangerous route over the Black Sea and bypassed Turkish restrictions. Herzog met with leaders from various nations, including Iran, and visited the Israeli embassy to observe voting for Israelis abroad.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- President Yitzhak Herzog flew on a commercial flight through Turkish airspace to attend a summit in Azerbaijan.
- Turkey has banned Israeli government aircraft from its airspace since 2024.
- Herzog's flight avoided a longer, potentially dangerous route over the Black Sea.
- The summit in Baku included representatives from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel, including Iran.
- Turkish President Erdogan reportedly skipped the summit due to Herzog's presence.
- Herzog also visited the Israeli embassy in Baku to observe voting for Israelis abroad.
President of Israel Yitzhak Herzog attended a summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on a commercial flight that transited through Turkish airspace, bypassing an official Turkish ban on Israeli government aircraft. The flight, operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was chosen over a longer route through Greece and the Black Sea due to security concerns stemming from ongoing attacks on ships in the region.
Turkey has prohibited Israeli government planes from flying over its territory since 2024. This ban previously led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel a visit to Baku. The presidential aircraft was unavailable for this trip due to maintenance.
Herzog's participation in the CICA (Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia) summit brought him into proximity with representatives from countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel, including Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Iran.
According to a Turkish official speaking to Middle East Eye, Ankara was not informed of the Israeli president's presence on the commercial flight, as Turkey does not review passenger lists for all civilian aircraft transiting its airspace. Israel has reportedly stopped requesting permission to use Turkish airspace, acknowledging Ankara's stance.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was absent from the summit, reportedly due to Herzog's attendance, sending his Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan instead. The summit occurred amidst a sensitive period between Turkey and Azerbaijan, following Azerbaijan's recent decision to ban headscarves in elementary and middle schools.
During his visit, Herzog also visited the Israeli embassy in Baku to observe the start of voting for Israelis abroad, calling the elections a "celebration of democracy" and urging citizens to vote, emphasizing that elections are not a civil war but a means to influence the country's future.
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