JAKARTA - Israel and Turkey have agreed to revive ties on several fronts, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Cavuşoğlu said at a press conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid on Wednesday, in the first official visit to Israel in 15 years.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Lapid said Turkey and Israel were opening a new chapter in relations and aimed at expanding economic ties, while starting work on a new civil aviation agreement.
"The aim is to establish and expand economic and civil cooperation between our countries to create business to business and people to people and to increase our two countries, regional and global comparative advantage, even during pandemics, and even in times of political tension," said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lapid, launching the Daily Sabah on May 25.
Turkey and Israel have recently tried to turn a new page in bilateral relations, marked by the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog and his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara in March.
Speaking about the Palestinian issue, Foreign Minister Cavuşoğlu also reiterated that Turkey believes a two-state solution is the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And, relations between Turkey and Israel will have a "positive impact" for working towards a solution.
The day before, Foreign Minister Cavuşoğlu visited Ramallah in the occupied West Bank and said during a press conference with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Maliki, dialogue with Israel would "make an important contribution to the reduction of tensions, as happened during Ramadan, and would also contribute to making the struggle possible." Palestine or the voice of the Palestinian people sounded stronger.
On the other hand, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday praised Turkey's support for the Palestinian people and their cause. According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, President Abbas told Foreign Minister Cavuşoğlu, Palestine is committed to its obligations under international law and to finding a political horizon to end the Israeli occupation.
Long before, the two countries withdrew their respective ambassadors in 2010, after Israeli troops stormed a flotilla bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid for Palestinians in violation of the Israeli blockade. The incident resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists.
Relations were broken again in 2018 when Turkey, angered by the United States moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, again summoned its ambassador, prompting Israel to respond in kind. The two countries have not yet reappointed their ambassadors.
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