Turkey’s ambassador to Israel has been recalled after less than a year in office.
Ahmet Oguz Celikkol will be replaced by Cyprus diplomat Kerim Uras, who is an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, according to reports.
Though the reason for the replacement has not been disclosed, Israeli media reported in February that Celikkol had requested a transfer to a new posting in another country in the wake of a public dressing down by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.
Ayalon apologized on Jan. 13 for calling in Celikkol and embarrassing him in front of television cameras in the wake of a verbal attack on Israel by the Turkish prime minister and a new anti-Israel Turkish television drama, the second such show aired in several months.
During the televised meeting, Celikkol was made to sit on a lower chair than Ayalon and the table between them only displayed an Israeli flag. Ayalon did not shake the Turkish envoy’s hand.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been strained since Israel’s military operation last winter in Gaza.
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