In a phone chat on Thursday, the president of Turkey and the likely next prime minister of Israel pledged to keep working to strengthen connections between their nations.
Under the administration of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ties between Israel and Turkey, which had previously been close friends, grew chilly.
He is anticipated to retake office soon as the leader of Israel’s most right-wing administration.
When Yair Lapid, the outgoing prime minister, and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, met in September in New York for the first time in 14 years, relations were already improving.
But Erdogan’s relations with Israel under Netanyahu were particularly tense, particularly over ongoing conflicts with Gaza’s terrorist Hamas rulers and an Israeli military raid on a Gaza flotilla in 2010, which occurred while Netanyahu was prime minister.
Since Netanyahu was removed from power last year after serving 12 consecutive years, Erdogan has demonstrated a willingness for closer ties.
The phone call on Thursday suggested that relations under Netanyahu might continue strengthening.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the two decided to work together and “start a new era in ties” between the nations.
As a result of the recent national elections, Netanyahu is currently attempting to establish a cabinet.
According to Erdogan’s administration, Netanyahu called to express his condolences for the most recent tragic blast in Istanbul.
According to a statement from his office, Erdogan said Turkey and Israel had entered a new era in relations, seeming to credit the outgoing Israeli government for the rapprochement. Erdogan wished the Israeli election results “would be positive for the country and the region.”
Erdogan has been a vocal opponent of Israeli policy toward the Palestinians throughout years of tense relations.
Israel has expressed opposition to Turkey’s support of Hamas.
After Israeli soldiers stormed a Gaza-bound flotilla delivering help for Palestinians that breached an Israeli blockade, the hitherto close regional allies withdrew their respective ambassadors in 2010.
Nine Turkish activists died as a result of the incident.
However, the two nations decided to exchange ambassadors after Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s state visit to Turkey in March and other indications of a thaw.
They still have several common strategic objectives, one of which is to contain Iran.
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