NY, September 19 – On Tuesday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had their first-ever face-to-face meeting. This event was significant for the two nations, as disagreements over how to treat the Palestinians had strained their relations.
Erdogan and Netanyahu meet first time: According to a statement from Netanyahu’s office, the presidents decided to visit each other’s nations soon after their conversations during the annual high-level United Nations General Assembly.
Israel’s leading Erdogan may try to make a pilgrimage to a significant Jerusalem mosque next month to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Turkish republic, according to Channel 12 TV. The report was not formally confirmed.
“After a raid by Israeli soldiers that resulted in the killing of 10 Turks on a pro-Palestinian activist ship attempting to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas Islamists outlawed in the West, the former allies’ relations deteriorated.”
The massacre of dozens of Palestinians who took part in violent protests at the Gaza border prompted Ankara to expel Israel’s ambassador, a decision that was rectified in 2016 but carried out again two years later. Israel, which had complained about Ankara hosting leaders of the Hamas movement, expelled Turkey’s envoy in response in 2018.
“In March 2022, Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to Turkey aided the thaw, and both foreign ministers subsequently made trips.”
Erdogan and Netanyahu spoke on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as political, economic, and regional issues, according to a post on social media site X by the Turkish Presidency.
“Prospects of Collaboration Between Turkey and Israel: Energy and Beyond”
According to the presidency, Erdogan informed Netanyahu that the two nations can collaborate on energy, technology, innovation, artificial intelligence, and cyber security.
One of the primary potential areas for cooperation is energy.
Alparslan Bayraktar, Turkey’s Energy Minister, who attended the conference, explored the potential for energy cooperation, particularly in areas like natural gas discovery, production, and trade.
In an effort to mend fences with bitter enemies, Turkey launched a charm offensive in 2020, reaching out to Israel as well as Egypt, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia.