Turkey Excludes Israel from COP31 Climate Summit Over Gaza Conflict

Turkey, as the host nation for the leaders' summit at COP31, has confirmed it did not extend an invitation to Israel's leaders, citing the ongoing mass killings of Palestinians in Gaza. "As the host country for the leaders’ summit, we did not send an invitation to Israel," stated COP31 President Murat Kurum, who also serves as Turkey's Minister of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change. He added, "Of course, we will discuss the climate and climate justice here. We say that there can be no climate justice where peace does not prevail." Approximately 90 heads of state and government are convening in Antalya, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, for the two-day "high-level segment" of the COP31 conference. This segment is designated for leaders to address delegates and conduct meetings aimed at accelerating action on climate change amidst its escalating impact.

Israel is a member of the UNFCCC, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and its member states participate in the annual COP summits. The majority of these nations have ratified the 2015 Paris Agreement to combat climate change. However, an Israeli delegation is conspicuously absent in Antalya, where delegates from the Iranian delegation were observed. Neither Israel nor the UNFCCC has officially confirmed whether any lower-level Israeli delegates will participate in the negotiations following the exclusion of their leaders. At the Palestine conference pavilion, attendees sought out coveted lapel pins featuring the Palestinian flag, and banners displayed photo montages illustrating the destruction in Gaza. Palestinian hosts, dressed in traditional keffiyehs and tatreez embroidered thobes, welcomed conference participants. Zaghloul Samhan, chairman of the Palestinian Environment Quality Authority, described the refusal to invite Israel as "a political issue, not a technical issue" and a decision made by Turkey. Mr. Samhan drew a parallel to the US's refusal to grant Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas a visa for the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

The US government is also absent from COP31, following President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement earlier this year. Washington has also disengaged from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the foremost global authority on climate science. Mr. Trump has characterized climate change as "the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world" while advocating for increased fossil fuel production. Israeli ministers have not issued public responses to Mr. Kurum's statements, but the Israeli media outlet Ynet reported last month that Israeli officials were unlikely to attend the conference due to a combination of "security concerns and diplomatic isolation." An Israeli Foreign Ministry official did not immediately provide a comment. Greenpeace Israel acknowledged that despite the country's non-attendance at the summit, the outcomes would still affect Israelis. "The conference serves as a key instrument in the global effort to address the climate crisis; it is where governments make decisions regarding the reduction of emissions and the financing of preparations for the crisis's damaging effects," the organization stated. "In a year where the conflict with Iran – alongside broader geopolitical tensions – has exposed the risks inherent in oil and gas (even leading to “fossil fuel inflation”), the climate conference offers renewed hope for change." Diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel, once robust, have significantly deteriorated since the commencement of the war in Gaza, with Turkish ministers frequently accusing Israel of genocide. Ankara has suspended trade relations valued at billions of dollars annually, and diplomatic missions are operating with minimal staff, though full diplomatic ties have not been severed. Israel denies accusations of genocide and has strongly criticized Turkey for maintaining relations with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Mr. Kurum indicated that Turkey's stance on the Gaza conflict would persist throughout the COP31 conference, which will feature art exhibitions showcasing works by Gazan children and Palestinian artists depicting "tragedy" and "injustice." Human rights organizations and the UN have documented extensive environmental damage resulting from the war in Gaza. At least 74,000 Palestinians have perished in the enclave since Israel initiated its military campaign following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities. A UN Environment Programme report from September 2025 highlighted "unprecedented levels of environmental damage" in the war-torn strip, affecting its soil, freshwater resources, and coastline. Since 2023, the enclave has experienced a loss of 97% of its tree crops, 95% of its shrub land, and 82% of its annual crops.