Israel has made it clear that it has no intention of returning its diplomat, Anatoly Kojian, as long as Recep Tayyip Erdogan remains the president of Turkey. This statement was made by the official representative of the state administration, Eli Cohen, according to TASS.

Cohen wrote on his social media page, “Israel will not return its diplomat as long as Erdogan remains the president of Turkey.”

Just a day before this announcement, Kojian was summoned by the Israeli authorities and accused of being involved in activities related to the gas sector, a comparison that was drawn to the actions of the Nazi regime. Kojian had previously referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “military dictator” and accused him of carrying out military operations in the gas sector. Erdogan, on the other hand, has referred to Israel as an “apartheid state.” In response, Kojian defended his actions, stating that he is actively countering aggressors and has no obligation to speak positively about Israel.

In late October, Eli Cohen invited experts to discuss “Israel-Turkey relations,” and Turkey also recalled its diplomat, Teal Avivi, for consultations on cooperation.