By Janet Ekstract
İSTANBUL- On Wednesday, Turkish and Israeli officials announced the full normalization of relations between the two countries, that ends a four-year diplomatic crisis. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office in a formal statement, said that Türkiye and Israel came to an agreement in a phone call, on Tuesday, when the director generals of the foreign ministries of both countries discussed the matter. As Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid commented in a press conference on Tuesday: “The normalization of ties with Türkiye is an asset for regional stability and an economic benefit for the citizens of Israel.” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said his country will appoint an ambassador to Israel very soon and that there will be a joint economic meeting in the next few weeks between the two countries.
The news is a long time coming especially as analysts and experts on the Middle East noted that both Israel and Türkiye don’t agree on the Palestinian issue. Cavusoglu made it clear that though relations are fully normalized, that the Turkish government remains steadfast in its support for the Palestinians. The two countries have weathered a series of political crises in the last decade, especially in 2018, when under former president Donald Trump, the U.S. relocated its embassy to Jerusalem with the Turkish government expelling the Israeli ambassador in Ankara.
Erdogan began his move to thaw relations with Israel after U.S. President Joe Biden took office. A huge step toward normalization occurred this year, when Erdogan invited the chief rabbi and a group of international rabbis who were holding their conference in Istanbul, to attend a special dinner at the presidential palace in Ankara.
Meanwhile, Cavusolgu made a visit to Israel in May this year, the first visit by a Turkish foreign minister to Israel in 15 years. In July, Israel and Türkiye signed a civil aviation agreement then several days later after Lapid became prime minister, he had his first phone call with Erdogan. Several factors are seen as influencing the normalization of relations which include the aviation agreement, Turkish counter-terrorism efforts and Erdogan’s ‘restrained response’ to Israel’s latest Gaza operation.
Normalization means that both countries will soon be appointing new ambassadors. The Israeli ambassador and consul general will return to Ankara and Istanbul while the Turkish ambassador and consul general will return to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem
