Turkey and Israel Agree to Normalize, Revitalize Relations

West Jerusalem, MINA – Turkey and Israel agreed to normalize and revitalize relations, said Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu Wednesday (May 25), Anadolu Agency have reported.

“We agreed to bring new synergies in our bilateral relations in many fields and establish different mechanisms from now on,” Cavusoglu said at a joint news conference with Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in West Jerusalem.

Cavusoglu said Turkey-Israel trade volume surpassed $8 billion last year, and this year’s first quarter figures are “very promising.”

“We are determined to increase the volume of trade and economic cooperation. It’s mutually beneficial,” he said.

He added that Istanbul is the most popular city for Israeli tourists “So, we hope to receive more tourists in different parts of Turkey,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lapid said Israel and Turkey launched a new framework to strengthen bilateral relations at various levels.

“Israel expects to see progress with Turkey not only in our diplomatic and security relations but also in the economic sphere,” he added.

During the talks, he said, “we agreed to relaunch our joint economic committee, and start working on a new civil aviation agreement between our two countries.”

“Beyond diplomacy, Israel only loves Turkey, every day dozens of flights leave Israel for Turkey with thousands of Israelis who love your culture, your music, your beautiful beaches, and colorful bazaars,” the top Israeli diplomat said.

He called the dialogue “fruitful and honest” to “start a new framework for improving our relationships that will benefit not only us but our children for years to come.”

During the visit, Cavusoglu visited the “Yad Vashem” Holocaust Memorial Museum in West Jerusalem, and laid a wreath in the hall of the museum.

It is the Turkish foreign minister’s first visit to Israel in nearly 15 years.

Cavusoglu’s visit to Israel was followed by a visit to Palestine Tuesday and a meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

In March 2022, Israeli President Isaac Herzog also visited Ankara and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)