No clearance for Netanyahu: Turkiye dismisses reports

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Turkiye rejected reports claiming it had approved Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s use of Turkish airspace during his upcoming visit to Azerbaijan.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli dismissed the allegations as “completely unfounded,” clarifying that Ankara had received no formal request from Israeli authorities.

The statement follows a wave of speculation across news outlets and social media platforms, which suggested Turkiye had granted overflight permission at the request of Baku.

Netanyahu is expected to visit Azerbaijan between May 7 and 11.

Notably, in November 2024, Turkish authorities reportedly blocked Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s plane from transiting Turkish airspace en route to the UN Climate Summit in Azerbaijan.

Tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv have also intensified in recent months. In April 2025, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced the official suspension of diplomatic and trade ties with Israel, citing the ongoing war in Gaza.

“There will be no normalization with Israel until a ceasefire is achieved,” Fidan told CNN Türk, accusing Netanyahu of “defying the entire world” with US backing and urging Washington to restrain him.