29.05.2026 20:20
It has been revealed that the plaza in Beşiktaş, which houses the Israeli Consulate General, failed the earthquake test and will be demolished. The demolition decision within the scope of urban transformation has thrown Tel Aviv into a logistical crisis. While the high security and armored costs of moving to a new building amount to approximately 6 million dollars, it was stated that the Israeli government does not have a budget for relocation during this period when diplomatic relations are at a freezing point.
It has been revealed that the plaza housing Israel's consulate general in Istanbul failed an earthquake resistance test and the building is planned for demolition. Initially, it was claimed that the consulate was closed due to political tensions between the two countries, but it has now become clear that it was evacuated entirely due to technical and structural obstacles. The demolition decision has left the budget-strapped Tel Aviv administration facing a massive diplomatic and logistical crisis.
A FIRST IN TURKEY: MEGA PLAZA TO BE DEMOLISHED
In October 2023, Israel, which withdrew its diplomatic personnel from Turkey citing security reasons, has decided on an urban transformation for the consulate building, which has been partially closed since then. The demolition of the massive plaza, housing numerous businesses and offices on multiple floors, is noted as a rare occurrence for commercial centers of this size in Turkey. While the land is planned for a new project in the future, Israel, which owns parts of the current building, faces significant commercial challenges in reopening the consulate in the new structure.
ISRAEL'S STRICT STANDARDS MULTIPLY COSTS
Sources close to the matter state that there are very strict standards and specifications applied for the construction of Israeli diplomatic missions. It is emphasized that it is difficult for the construction company that will build the new building to meet these high-cost security requirements, and if Israel wants to be part of the new project, it will have to cover this extra budget on its own. Sources indicate that even if property rights in the new building are preserved, it is highly unlikely that Israel will reopen a consulate at this address.
RELOCATION COST: 6 MILLION DOLLARS, BUDGET: ZERO
The other option on the table—relocating the consulate to another building in Istanbul—has also hit a financial dead end. For Israel, which implements heavy security protocols such as high-level fortification, special wiring, and advanced camera systems at its diplomatic missions, the cost of moving to a new building is approximately 6 million dollars.
At a time when diplomatic relations have effectively reached a freezing point, whether to make this expenditure has become a major point of debate within Israel. Sources close to the government state that Israel currently has no budget for such a relocation, making the possibility of moving to a new building nearly impossible. It has been reported that the Israeli government is evaluating all options but has yet to reach a final decision.