Israeli couple free after being held in Turkey on espionage charges

Israel’s prime minister and foreign minister expressed gratitude to the president and government of Turkey

Israeli couple Mordi and Natalie Oknin welcomed on their arrival home in the Israeli city of Modiin. AFP

An Israeli couple held for a week by Turkey on charges of espionage returned home on Thursday.

Mordi and Natalie Oknin arrived in central Israel where they were greeted by family and a crowd of reporters, AP reported.

From the family’s balcony, Ms Orkin thanked all those involved in securing their release.

A statement by Israel’s prime minister and foreign minister earlier announced the release and also expressed gratitude to the president and government of Turkey.

There was no official statement from Turkish officials.

A Turkish citizen arrested with the couple was also released, Turkey’s private DHA news agency reported.

The couple were arrested for espionage last week after taking photographs of the Turkish president’s residence in Istanbul.

Police detained the three individuals after a tip-off from an employee working in a radio and television tower on the Asian side of Istanbul.

The employee claimed that the couple had been taking photographs of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s nearby home from the tower’s restaurant.

They were formally arrested and awaiting trial for “political and military espionage” by an Istanbul court.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid denied after the detention that the couple worked for an Israeli agency.

Once robust regional allies, relations between Israel and Turkey have been at a nadir during Mr Erdogan’s rule.

The Turkish leader is an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians.

The couple’s arrest threatened to further weaken the relationship, but Israeli officials said the incident showed that the countries’ diplomatic channels remained intact.