Tel Aviv/Ankara: Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who always projected himself as a “strong critic” of Israel and its violent policy against Palestinians, has announced full diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.
Israel and Turkey had expelled ambassadors four years ago. Both countries have now decided to reinstate Ambassadors and Consuls General, DPA news agency reported quoting the office of Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
The relations between Israel and Turkey became strained in 2010 when a Turkish-led flotilla attempting to break Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip clashed with Israeli forces, leaving 10 Turks on board killed.
There was an initial rapprochement in 2016. But in 2018, Turkey and Israel expelled each other's top diplomats amid a quarrel over the Israeli killing of 60 Palestinians during their protests against the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.
Turkey and Israel have been working to mend their ties in the past months, including Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Turkey in March, the first of its kind by a senior Israeli official since 2008, and their talks on pipelining natural gas from Israel to Europe through Turkey.
The latest development to restore ties came following Lapid's to Turkey in June and talks with Tayyip Erdogan, an official statement said.
"The resumption of relations with Turkey is an important asset for regional stability and very important economic news for the citizens of Israel," Lapid was quoted as saying in the statement.
“Israel's standing will be further strengthened worldwide”, he added.
“The restoration of diplomatic relations is a continuation of the positive direction in the development of relations over the past year, since President Isaac Herzog's diplomatic visit to Ankara, and the reciprocal visits of the Foreign Ministers to Jerusalem and Ankara”, the statement said.
Herzog was the first Israeli President to travel to Turkey in May in 10 years.
"We, as Turkey, have too decided to appoint an ambassador to Israel, Tel Aviv," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara, calling the move a "positive step".
In a statement released by Turkey Friday emphasised mutual satisfaction from strengthening diplomatic ties by the latest re-appointment of ambassadors.
"A new momentum to the diplomatic relations will be attained after the reinstatement of ambassadors", the statement said, adding Turkey is ready to boost cooperation and dialogue with Israel while respecting the mutual concerns of both nations.
Erdogan projected himself as a strong critic of Israel, always opposing any relation with the Jewish state. This despite the fact that Turkey was the first Muslim nation to recognise Israel and have military, diplomatic and economic alliance.
Erdogan had in fact also criticised when the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and some other Arab states announced ties with Israel.
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