Article Author:
Reuters
James Mackenzie and Ece Toksabay
JERUSALEM/ANKARA — Turkey and Israel said Wednesday they would reappoint their respective ambassadors after being summoned for more than four years. A milestone after months of steady improvement in the relationship.
The two regional powers of hers said in 2018 that his 60 Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces during protests at the Gaza border against the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem. As a result, the ambassador was expelled.
However, they have worked to mend longstanding tensions with energies that have emerged as important areas of potential cooperation.
} Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid's office said Wednesday that the two countries have decided to restore full diplomatic relations.
"It has been decided to bring the relationship between the two countries back to the level of full diplomatic relations and to return the ambassador and consulate general," Rapid's office said in a statement after the meeting with the prime minister. Stated. Minister and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
"Improving relations will contribute to deepening ties between the two countries, expanding economic, trade and cultural ties, and enhancing regional stability," he added.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog's March visit to Turkey, followed by visits by both foreign ministers, improved friendly relations after more than a decade of tension.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the appointment of the ambassador was one of his steps towards normalizing relations.
"These efforts have resulted in such a positive step from Israel. Turkey has also decided to appoint an ambassador to Tel Aviv, Israel," Chavshoglu said. said at a press conference in Ankara, adding: Turkey was picking someone.
This move by Israel to improve relations with regional powers follows his 2nd step in the so-called Abraham Accords, in which relations were normalized between Israel, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Morocco. agreed a year later.
Turkey also launched an attractive offensive in 2020 to mend ties with long-range rivals, overtures to Egypt, the UAE, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Efforts with Cairo have so far made little progress, but officials say normalization work with Riyadh and Abu Dhabi is progressing well. (Reporting by James Mackenzie, Editing by Mark Heinrich and Jonathan Spicer)
