Turkey releases jailed Israeli couple accused of espionage

Israeli national Mordi Oknin(center) stands on the balcony hours after he and his wife Natalie arrive to their home in Modiin, Israel, Nov 18, 2021. The couple has been released by Turkey after being arrested for espionage last week for taking photographs of the Turkish president's residence in Istanbul. (ARIEL SCHALIT / AP PHOTO)

JERUSALEM – An Israeli couple jailed in Istanbul for suspicion of espionage was released by Turkey and returned to Israel on Thursday, according to a joint statement by Israeli prime minister and foreign minister.

"After joint efforts with Turkey, Mordi and Natali Oknin were released from prison and are on their way home to Israel," the statement said.

After the arrest, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid denied the couple worked for any "Israeli agency"

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid expressed their gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government "for their cooperation."

Bennett published on his Twitter account a photo of the couple hugging their son and daughter at the exit of the plane, and wrote: "Welcome home."Photos released later by the Israel Airports Authority showed the couple arriving at the Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel Aviv in central Israel.

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The couple was arrested for espionage last Friday after taking photos of the Ottoman-era Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul while taking a tour on a ferry. Parts of the building are used as the Istanbul office of Erdogan.

After the arrest, Lapid denied the couple worked for any "Israeli agency."