Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
“Whatever the election result, we want to maintain relations with Israel on a sustainable basis, based on mutual respect for sensitivities and common interests,” says the Turkish president.
Israeli defense minister meets with Erdogan in Turkey
Benny Gantz is in Ankara to strengthen defense ties following a decade-long rift.
Sakir Ozkan Torunlar previously served as Ankara’s consul general in Jerusalem between 2010 and 2013.
The community representatives raised concerns about Hamas’s base in Turkey.
It was the first meeting between an Israeli prime minister and the Turkish president since 2008.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says “dialogue [with Israel] will allow us to better defend the Palestinians.”
Experts nevertheless caution that the rapprochement is fragile given Erdoğan’s political party is aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian issue remains a sticking point, and Ankara previously restored ties only to break them off again.
Israel and Turkey to restore full diplomatic ties
“Upgrading relations will contribute to deepening ties between the two peoples, expanding economic, trade and cultural ties and strengthening regional stability,” says Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
The Turkish leader’s remarks are not likely to affect Israel-Turkey rapprochement, according to experts.
The calls follow talks between the Israeli premier, the Jordanian king and and the P.A. chief as the region gears up for the U.S. president’s July 13-16 trip.
Oil prices have sped up MBS’s return to the world stage, said Mideast professor Joshua Teitelbaum. “While the United States may no longer be dependent on the Saudis for oil, it is still dependent on the Saudis for the price of oil.”
Lapid to visit Turkey after months of warming ties
The Israeli Foreign Minister is expected to meet his Turkish counterpart amid security warnings of Iranian terror cells hunting Israelis in Istanbul.
