Israel’s President Isaac Herzog met Dec. 1 with Natali and Mordi Oknin, who were liberated two weeks ago from an eight-day detention in Turkey. The couple thanked the president for his efforts to release them.
The Oknins were arrested Nov. 9 after taking pictures of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s palace in Istanbul while visiting the Camlica Tower. Turkish authorities suspected the couple were involved in espionage. They were both released from detention Nov. 18, following an extensive discrete diplomatic campaign that involved Herzog, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Israeli Charge d’Affair in Turkey Irit Lilian and Israeli security agencies.
