Israel is considering closing its consulate in Istanbul

Israel is considering closing its consulate in Istanbul, which was the target of a shooting in April. The Times of Israel reports that Israel's embassy in Ankara will remain open, but it is still short of diplomatic staff due to their evacuation following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israeli soil by Hamas that ignited the war in Gaza. Diplomats were similarly pulled out of the Istanbul consulate, located in the business district of Turkey's largest city, and both facilities have since been closed. are equipped with Turkish personnel. "The issue is under discussion. "No decision has been made," the source insisted, referring to plans to demolish the Istanbul consulate building as part of earthquake preparations. "Some claim that these vacant spaces, which belong to us, are costing us a lot of money," the source said. This is after a shooting took place near the building on April 7. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, and authorities blamed a religious terror organization without providing further details. Turkey is now represented by a chargé d'affaires in Israel after its last ambassador was recalled in the aftermath of Oct. 7 and a sharp escalation of anti-Israel rhetoric by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has regularly spoken out against Israel's war in Gaza, calling it genocide, and Prime Minister Benjamin compared Netanyahu with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.