Shivangi Prakash-
Following a rare phone call between the Presidents, Turkey and Israel agreed to work toward repairing their troubled relations, according to a spokeswoman for Turkey’s ruling AK Party.
Following a violent feud, the two countries expelled their ambassadors in 2018. Ankara has criticised Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and treatment of Palestinians, while Israel has demanded that Turkey end its backing for the Gaza-based Palestinian party Hamas.
Both sides claim that any rapprochement must start with the other.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoan congratulated Israel’s new president, Isaac Herzog, on his inauguration on Monday. The Israeli presidency is primarily a ceremonial position.
“A framework emerged after this call under which advances should be made on several issues where improvements can be made, and where steps towards solving problematic areas should be taken,” spokesman Omer Celik said after an AK Party meeting.
Celik mentioned the Palestinians as one of many topics Turkey wishes to discuss with Israel, adding that tourism and trade should be a “win-win” situation for both countries. Despite the political tensions, bilateral trade has remained strong.
During the call, which came a day after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Ankara, Erdoan told Herzog that continuous dialogue was important for regional stability, and that Turkish-Israeli relations were crucial.
Erdoan also reaffirmed his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian problem, saying that “good steps” will strengthen Turkey’s relations with Israel.
After Israeli police fired rubber-coated steel bullets and stun grenades at Palestinian youths at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in May, Erdoan labelled Israel a “terror state.”
Israel has accused Turkey of assisting members of Hamas, which Israel and its Western allies regard as a “terrorist organisation.”
Turkey has also recently attempted to mend its strained relations with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.