Israeli Detained for Khat Smuggling in Turkey Comes Home
Danny Aweke, a 35-year-old Israeli who had been incarcerated in Turkey for over three years on drug trafficking charges, arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport outside of Tel Aviv on Saturday after being granted early release. Arrested in 2019 for allegedly smuggling khat leaves, Aweke was later sentenced to a 10-year prison term. He reported to Turkish authorities that he was misled about the leaves’ legality. Israel approves khat usage, while many countries ban it due to its mild narcotic effects. Aweke was targeted during his confinement by Syrian and Iranian inmates who discovered his Israeli identity. Diplomatic intervention by Foreign Minister Eli Cohen and President Isaac Herzog, supported by a warming relationship between Israel and Turkey, helped to secure his release. In 2022, diplomatic channels reopened, with significant meetings between Israeli and Turkish leaders. The relationship between the two countries was previously been strained, notably after the 2010 Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara ship incident and Israel’s violent suppression of Gaza border riots in 2018.
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