Antalya: Turkey has decided not to invite Israeli leaders to the COP31 climate summit, citing the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the need for peace as essential to achieving climate justice. The decision was confirmed by COP31 President and Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum.
Kurum told Turkish media that Ankara had deliberately withheld an invitation to Israel for the leaders’ summit, stressing that meaningful climate action cannot be separated from global peace.
However, an Israeli source told The National that the country was technically eligible to participate as a member of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), but chose not to send an official delegation due to security concerns and other reasons.
Around 90 heads of state and government are expected in Antalya for the two-day high-level segment of the fortnight-long conference on November 11 and 12. Discussions will focus on climate commitments, clean energy expansion and financial assistance for climate adaptation.
Israel’s absence comes amid deteriorating diplomatic relations with Turkey over the Gaza conflict. Ankara has suspended bilateral trade worth billions of dollars annually, while diplomatic engagement between the two countries has significantly weakened.
Meanwhile, the United States is also absent from the summit following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The conference has also drawn attention to the environmental consequences of the Gaza war. A September 2025 United Nations Environment Programme assessment reported extensive damage to Gaza’s soil, freshwater resources and coastline, alongside significant losses in agricultural land and vegetation.
