Israel and Turkey announced on Wednesday the restoration of full diplomatic ties and the exchange of ambassadors, marking the closing chapter of a rapprochement that began in 2021 and ending years of strain between the two capitals. The move signals a new chapter in their relationship, moving beyond the ebbs and flows that have defined it over the past decade.
In a public statement, the decision to reestablish full diplomatic relations came more than four years after each side withdrew its ambassador in 2018. The moment comes amid a pattern of fluctuating diplomacy, suggesting a renewed and more stable engagement between the two nations in regional and global forums.
The announcement was made by Israeli acting Prime Minister Yair Lapid and was supported almost simultaneously by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, underscoring a shared commitment to repair and progress in bilateral ties.
According to the Israeli government, the final agreement was signed the previous night, following a telephone exchange between the director general of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Turkey’s deputy foreign minister. This transition marks a deliberate return to direct high‑level dialogue between the two countries after a long period of caution and negotiation.
What began about a year earlier with a single phone call has evolved into a sustained series of discussions at the highest levels. It represents the first major contact of this kind since the leaders of both nations engaged in subsequent exchanges that included a historic visit by President Isaac Herzog to Ankara in March and a reciprocal visit by Çavuşoğlu to Israel in May, complemented by Lapid’s trip to Turkey in June, during his tenure in office as foreign minister.
All of these engagements occurred within a climate that favored constructive dialogue, with messages highlighting the value of cooperation, regional peace, and stable exchanges between states with a long, intertwined history. The announcements emphasized that expanding bilateral ties would bolster people-to-people connections, deepen economic and cultural exchange, and contribute to broader regional stability.
Herzog, who has been at the forefront of this normalization effort in Israel, described the latest development as a tangible step forward. He noted that the move would likely stimulate greater economic activity and increase opportunities in tourism, underscoring a practical benefit to both nations beyond symbolic gestures.
The focus on economic relations remains notable. It reflects how the relationship with Turkey has endured significant strain while economic cooperation persisted as a critical, steady channel for interaction. The trajectory marks a shift from a period highlighted by diplomatic ruptures to one oriented toward sustained collaboration across trade, investment, and shared regional interests.
The early years of this bilateral distance included the Mavi Marmara crisis in 2010, when a Gaza blockade clash resulted in fatalities and set the tone for a long, difficult period in the relationship. Subsequent years saw efforts to reengage that faced punitive pauses and renewed discussions, illustrating the persistent challenge of aligning regional positions with mutual strategic goals.
Experts from the Israel Institute for National Security Studies have described the current phase as more cautious than past attempts, characterized by incremental steps that aim to rebuild trust rather than rush toward rapid normalization. The prevailing view suggests a deliberate path forward, with careful calibration of political and economic signals to ensure durable progress.
Observers note that Turkey’s current push for broader normalization is tied to domestic economic priorities and a desire to attract foreign investment from neighboring markets. Additionally, there is an interest in establishing Turkey as a potential transit route for energy resources, including natural gas flows from the region toward Europe, with routes that involve Egypt as a key corridor.
The Israeli side has stressed that Ankara seeks to curb Hamas activities on Turkish soil and to soften some of the more assertive positions taken in the past on the Israeli–Palestinian dispute. In turn, Turkish leadership has highlighted the broader arc of normalization as compatible with Turkey’s own security concerns, while reaffirming commitments to the Palestinian cause, Gaza, and Jerusalem within a broader diplomatic framework.”