Turkey on Monday allowed Israeli diplomats to visit a couple held by Turkish authorities for espionage charges after taking photos of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's palace in Istanbul last week.
The Foreign Ministry said that the embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul were working to find the earliest possible time for the visit.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; his palace in Istanbul; detained Israeli couple Natali and Mordy Oknin
(Photo: AP)
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said earlier Monday that Israel was "working around the clock, at the highest levels" to secure the release of Natali and Mordy Oknin and asked lawmakers, ministers and Israeli media outlets to address the issue "responsibly" in order to ensure their safety.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Sunday the couple were innocent and had mistakenly gotten into a "complex situation."
The prime minister said that he had spoken to the couple's family and asked them to remain strong. He also updated them on the efforts being made to bring them back to Israel.
He also denied claims that the couple had any connections to any Israeli intelligence agency.
"The most senior echelons in Israel dealt with this issue throughout the weekend, led by the Foreign Ministry, and will continue to work tirelessly with the aim of finding a solution as soon as possible," he said.
A Turkish court remanded the Israeli couple in custody for 20 days on Friday for taking pictures of Erdogan's residence from the Camlica Tower, a telecommunications tower in Istanbul with observation decks.
Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency reported that an employee tipped off the police after seeing the couple take pictures of Erdogan's residence from the tower's restaurant.
The report said that a Turkish national, who was with the couple at the t, was also arrested on suspicion of political and military espionage.