The COP29 summit in Baku was the official stage, a gathering of nations united under the banner of climate action. For Israeli President Isaac Herzog, however, the planned journey to Azerbaijan held a dual purpose. Publicly, his attendance at the summit was to underline Israel’s commitment to addressing global environmental challenges. Behind the scenes, the mission was a covert operation orchestrated to test Iran’s air defense capabilities under the guise of a diplomatic flight.
The route, carefully charted, would take the presidential aircraft over Syria and Iraq, brushing the edges of Iran’s airspace. At the critical juncture, the plane would veer north, skirting Tehran before continuing toward Baku. The detour was no accident—it was designed to gauge the responsiveness of Iranian radar systems and air defenses. If anything went awry, Israeli planners had insisted on securing Turkish airspace as a fallback, ensuring the plane could retreat to safety.
The Negotiations
Securing Turkey’s cooperation, however, proved more complicated than anticipated. Israel’s diplomats approached Ankara with an official request for the plane to traverse Turkish airspace. While the stated reason was logistical convenience, Israeli officials quietly implied the necessity of a safety net. They were careful not to disclose the true intent of the mission, but Ankara, aware of the tensions between Israel and Iran, grew suspicious.
For days, diplomatic channels between Israel, Turkey, and Azerbaijan buzzed with activity. Ankara’s intelligence officials raised concerns that the flight could provoke Tehran, potentially implicating Turkey in an unwanted regional conflict. Despite reassurances from Israeli officials, Turkey’s government remained firm. Late in the negotiations, Turkish officials outright denied Israel’s request, effectively grounding Herzog’s mission.
The Fallout
On November 16, Herzog’s office announced the cancellation of his trip to Baku, citing “security considerations.” The official statement was brief, avoiding details that might draw attention to the covert nature of the operation. Meanwhile, Ynet and other outlets began to piece together the real story, reporting on the diplomatic standoff between Israel and Turkey. Azerbaijani officials confirmed that Turkey’s refusal to permit the overflight was the decisive factor.
The rest of the Israeli delegation proceeded to Baku on commercial flights through Georgia, avoiding the geopolitical quagmire altogether. For Herzog’s team, the mission’s failure underscored the challenges of conducting covert operations under the scrutiny of an increasingly interconnected world.
The Broader Implications
The incident was more than a diplomatic hiccup—it highlighted the fragility of alliances in the region. Turkey, while maintaining a working relationship with Israel, signaled its unwillingness to be drawn into Israeli-Iranian tensions. For Israel, the episode served as a reminder that even the most carefully laid plans could unravel when regional politics and mistrust came into play. As the COP29 summit unfolded in Baku, the absence of Herzog’s plane served as a silent testament to the complexities of diplomacy in a divided world.
All names of people and organizations appearing in this story are pseudonyms.
Turkey blocked Israeli president from entering Turkish airspace
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