Ibrahim Kalin, Turkey’s intelligence chief and President Erdoğan’s chosen successor, played a key role in the Gaza talks; known for his ties with Israeli officials, he aims to rebuild relations and even bring Israeli tourists back to Turkey
Just over a year ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a statement that drew global attention from intelligence and diplomatic circles alike. In Israel, few were surprised when Erdoğan dramatically announced that his closest adviser, Ibrahim Kalin, would be his successor.
Their relationship goes back many years, when Erdoğan sought “serious-minded” figures from academia to join his inner circle. He received glowing recommendations for “Dr. Kalin, the quiet scholar,” and soon brought him into the presidential office. For nine years, Kalin served as Erdoğan’s spokesman, though senior Israeli officials who know him say he was far more than that. Erdoğan trusts him completely — he is, they say, “the president’s shadow.”