Turkey's Foreign Ministry says it is summoning a senior Israeli diplomat over the deportation of seven Turkish aid workers and journalists from the Jewish state.
The ministry said in a written statement that nine Turkish citizens — five aid workers and four journalists — were detained and interrogated for nine hours at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday.
All but two journalists from Turkish broadcaster TRT were deported, the statement said.
The ministry said the group was going to Jerusalem for an iftar, the fast-breaking meal held during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said a senior diplomat in Ankara had been summoned by the Turkish Foreign Ministry over the refusal to allow Turkish citizens into Israel for security reasons.
He declined further comment.
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