Ankara: Israel and Turkey renewed their official security relationship during the meeting of the two countries’ defence ministers in Ankara on Thursday.
Gantz’s visit to Turkey is significant because it was the first by an Israeli defence minister in more than 10 years.
Benny Gantz said during a press conference with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, “To move forward we must adopt a consistent and positive approach in our relations, maintaining an open dialogue, and as agreed in our meetings, I have instructed my staff to start the procedures required to resume working relations.”
After that, Gantz was received at the Turkish ministry of defence with an official ceremony, after which he held meetings with his Turkish counterpart, and was later received by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace.
On Thursday, October 27, Benny Gantz took to Twitter and wrote, “I just finished a long and good meeting with the Turkish minister of defence, Hulusi Akar, at the Ministry of Defense in Ankara. At the meeting, which was joined by the director general of the Ministry of Defense Amir Eshel, we agreed on strengthening the official security relations between the countries, after a decade.”
The Turkish defence minister expressed his hopes that his talks with the Israeli minister would contribute to strengthening relations between the two countries and bringing peace to the region.
On Wednesday, Benny Gantz travelled to Ankara to meet with his Turkish counterpart and re-launch security cooperation between the two countries.
This comes after the return of warmth to the relations between the two countries, after more than a decade of diplomatic estrangement between Israel and Turkey.
Turkey, Israel relations
Turkey and Israel were close regional allies with extensive defence relations, but the relations were strained for more than 10 years, until they collapsed in 2010, after the Israeli forces attacked a flotilla that was heading to Gaza carrying humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, which resulted in the killing of 9 Turkish activists, each country withdrew its ambassador.
After trying to mend ties, Turkey recalled its ambassador again in 2018, after the United States moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.
Relations began to improve after the departure of former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Turkey in March 2022, followed by Prime Minister Yair Lapid (then foreign minister) in June.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also met Balbid in September 2022, on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Turkey and Israel recently announced the return of ambassadors to both countries.
