Israel’s new top diplomatic envoy to Turkey, Joel Lion, presented his credentials to the Turkish foreign ministry in Ankara on Wednesday, Jerusalem announced Thursday.

Lion, who was previously ambassador to Ukraine, Moldova, and Armenia, will serve as the acting chargé d’affaires.

He replaced Irit Lillian, who was appointed Israel’s ambassador to Ankara in 2022 and retired over the summer. She had returned to Israel following the outbreak of the war against Hamas after the October 7, 2023, attack due to security concerns. Turkey subsequently recalled its own ambassador from Israel.

Since then, Lillian had continued managing ties with Turkish officials on a professional level from Israel, passing messages between the sides and handling issues involving Israeli citizens in Turkey.

The Israeli embassy in Turkey remains closed.

Israel’s relations with Turkey, once a close security ally of Israel, drastically deteriorated following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rise to power. They have collapsed since the........

© The Times of Israel