Erdogan: Israeli President to Visit Turkey Next Month

Ankara, MINA – Israeli President Isaac Herzog will pay an official visit to Turkey in February, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday.

Erdogan hailed it as an opportunity to mend shattered relations with Tel Aviv, The New Arab reported.

“This visit can open a new chapter in relations between Turkey and Israel,” Erdogan said in an interview with Turkey’s NTV channel.

He added that he was “ready to take steps towards Israel in all areas, including natural gas.”

Relations between Turkey and Israel froze after the deaths of 10 civilians in an Israeli attack on a Turkish flotilla carrying aid to the Gaza Strip in 2010.

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In recent months, however, the two countries have been working on rapprochement, with Erdogan, a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause, holding telephone talks with Herzog and other Israeli leaders.

The Turkish strongman had said last week he was ready to work with Israel in reviving an old project to deliver Mediterranean gas to European clients via Turkey.

His remarks came after the United States reportedly dropped support for a rival pipeline project involving Israel and Turkey’s historic rival, Greece.

Turkey strongly opposes the project, which was backed by the administration of the US President Donald Trump. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)