ANKARA: Turkiye and Israel said they will reappoint respective ambassadors more than four years after they were called back, marking another milestone after months of steady improvement in relations.

Two regional powers had expelled ambassadors in 2018 over killing of 60 Palestinians by Israeli forces during protests on Gaza border against opening of US Embassy in Jerusalem. But they have been working to mend long-strained ties with energy emerging as a key area for potential cooperation.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office said two countries decided to restore full diplomatic ties. “It was decided to once again upgrade level of relations between two countries to that of full diplomatic ties and to return ambassadors and consuls general,” Lapid’s office said in a statement following a conversation between prime minister and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

“Upgrading relations will contribute to deepening ties between two peoples, expanding economic, trade and cultural ties and strengthening regional stability,” it added. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said appointment of ambassadors was one of steps in normalisation of ties. “Such a positive step came from Israel as a result of these efforts and as Turkey, we also decided to appoint an ambassador to Israel, to Tel Aviv,” Cavusoglu said at a news conference in Ankara, adding Turkiye was selecting someone.–Agencies

Published in The Daily National Courier, August, 18 2022

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