Israel Y Turkey announced this Wednesday restoration of full diplomatic relations and exchange of ambassadorsIt marks the final chapter of a rapprochement that began in 2021, ending several years of strained relationship.
Announcing the re-establishment of full diplomatic relations, more than four years after the withdrawal of their respective ambassadors in 2018 and in the context of the constant ups and downs that have characterized the relationship over the past decade marks a new milestone in relations between Israel and Turkey.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by Israeli acting Prime Minister Yair Lapid and was endorsed almost simultaneously by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
According to the Israeli Government, the final agreement was signed this Tuesday night. A telephone conversation between the Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister.
However, this process started a year ago with a phone call It’s the first contact at the highest level between the two countries after more than a decade of tension between Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli president Isaac Herzog.
This call has been tracked a series of talks and meetingsThe meeting, which included a historical trip by Herzog to Ankara in March, and resulted in Çavuşoğlu’s visit to Israel in May and Lapid’s visit to Turkey in June, as currently foreign minister.
All these meetings took place in Turkey. a positive environment and messages on the importance of dialogue, cooperation between countries and regional peace.
To be exact, today’s Lapid announcement stated:Developing relations will contribute to the deepening of ties between the two peoples.to expand economic, trade and cultural ties and strengthen regional stability”.
Herzog, who is seen as leading this rapprochement process in Israel, described Wednesday’s announcement as follows: “significant progress” what did he say “It will promote more economic relations and tourism.”
The emphasis on economic ties is intriguing, given that this aspect of the bilateral relationship remained largely intact during the diplomatic tensions that began in 2010 and ended the long years of friendly relations between the two countries.
The first event was the Mavi Marmara crisis in 2010. Tried to break the blockade on Gaza and that ten Turkish activists were killed by the Israeli attack. A series of ups and downs followed, including an attempt to re-establish relations that lasted less than two years in 2016, marked by Turkey’s rejection of Israel’s policy on the Palestinians.
According to Galia Lindenstrauss, a researcher focusing on Turkey at the Israel Institute for National Security Studies, today’s announcement follows a “more cautious” rapprochement than in 2016 and is characterized by small steps that help restore trust between the two countries.
“This time it was Turkey” Pressing for more normalization of relations by IsraelThis is an exception,” he said.
Among them he mentioned facing economic crisis -and interest in attracting foreign investment from countries in the region- and Desire to be a transit point for Israeli gas Depends on Europe today shipped via Egypt.
The Israeli minister stressed that Turkey has an interest in limiting the activities of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on its territory, as well as making an attempt to soften Erdogan’s strong rhetoric on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In this regard, the Turkish Foreign Minister emphasized that rapprochement with Israel goes hand in hand with Turkey’s defense. “The rights of the Palestinians, Gaza and Jerusalem”.