The real reason Herzog isn’t going to the climate conference: Turkey refused to let plane carrying Herzog in its airspace

The Azeris did not like the way Israel framed the decision, and a senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan told the Caliber News website that the reason for Herzog’s cancellation was not at all related to security, but to the ban imposed by Turkey on allowing the plane carrying Herzog to use its airspace.

“Unfortunately, intensive negotiations through diplomatic channels that lasted for several days did not yield results. Azerbaijan provides has created appropriate conditions for the participation of all parties in the climate conference, but the situation surrounding the Israeli president’s visit arose for reasons beyond our country’s control,” the source added.

According to him, in Azerbaijan – which has repeatedly hosted major regional and global events such as the Eurovision song contest – a high level of security is guaranteed. “It is not an exaggeration to say that Baku is one of the safest cities in the world,” the source claimed. “This is confirmed by the fact that a large number of Israeli officials have come to Azerbaijan, including President Herzog himself, who visited Baku on May 30 of this year. Prime Minister Netanyahu also came to Azerbaijan for a one-day visit in 2016.”

He noted that “unprecedented security measures are also being taken in preparation for the conference in connection with the arrival of tens of thousands of guests and about 100 world leaders and heads of high-ranking delegations to the country.”

The Azeris were apparently offended by the Israeli report on the reason for the cancellation, and tried through diplomatic contacts to change its framing. Israeli ministers who arrived in Baku did so on commercial flights through Georgia. It is not clear why Herzog did not choose a similar route, but decided to fly on the Wing of Zion.

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