(Communicated by the MFA Spokesperson)Ministry of Foreign Affairs Director-General Dr. Dore Gold and Bureau Chief Gilad Cohen arrived on Sunday (March 20, 2016) in Istanbul, Turkey.
Dir-Gen Gold met with Turkish officials, including his counterpart Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, the Governor of Istanbul Vasip Sahin, and the heads of the Jewish community. Gold thanked his colleague for the assistance extended by the Turkish authorities to the Israeli victims of the terror attack.
Both men said there is no justification for any use of violence as a tool to advance a political agenda, noting that Turkey and Israel are on a common front in the battle against terror and addressing shared regional challenges.
Dir-Gen Dore Gold met on Monday (March 21, 2016) with members of the MFA diplomatic staff in Turkey, to express his appreciation for their intense efforts following yesterday's
terror attack in Istanbul.
Turkish President Erdogan sends letter of condolence
Turkish President Erdogan sent a letter of condolence to President Rivlin, saying, "“With yesterday's heinous attack, it has again been seen most clearly that it is an absolute necessity for the international community to conduct a joint, united and determined fight against terrorism, which targets the whole of humanity and fundamental human values and constitutes a crime against humanity.
I would like to convey my deepest condolences to the people of Israel and to the families of Israeli citizens who lost their lives in this treacherous attack which happened in Istanbul, where they were visiting our country to get better acquainted with our culture, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured."