Israeli cabinet erupts into row as ministers call to shut down Turkey’s TIKA office in Jerusalem
A routine cabinet meeting in Israel on Sunday turned into a heated confrontation that escalated into calls to curtail Turkish activities in occupied Jerusalem, including demands to shut down the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and expel its staff.
The dispute began with a sharp exchange between Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over planned “milk sector reforms”. The argument quickly transformed into accusations over trade policy and the import of foreign goods.
Ben-Gvir accused Smotrich of pushing a plan that “opens the market to the Turks”, warning that reliance on imported milk could become a strategic liability in any future conflict. Smotrich dismissed the claim, suggesting Ben-Gvir did not understand the details of the reform.
As the disagreement intensified, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attempted to regain control of the meeting, urging ministers to “speak slowly and concisely”. However, the session soon veered into broader political criticism of Turkey.
Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli called for TIKA’s activities in Jerusalem to be halted immediately, alleging the agency was carrying out “intelligence work under the cover of cultural programmes”. He argued that Turkey had adopted “hostile positions” towards Israel and questioned the continued operation of the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem and its offices in Tel Aviv.
Settlement Affairs Minister Orit Strock joined the criticism, claiming she had observed “expansive diplomatic privileges” near the Turkish consulate. She questioned why diplomatic visas for Turkish staff had not been revoked and accused the consulate of staffing “dozens of employees who present their diplomatic credentials to the Palestinian president rather than the Israeli president”.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Israel and Turkey, with Ankara repeatedly criticising Israeli military actions in Gaza and Israel increasingly accusing Turkey of political interference in Jerusalem.