Israel announced on Wednesday the full restoration of diplomatic relations with Turkey and the return of ambassadors to both countries.

“It was decided to raise the level of ties between the two countries to full diplomatic relations and to return ambassadors and consuls general to the two countries,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement.

"The restoration of relations with Turkey is an important asset for regional stability and very important economic news for the citizens of Israel."

Palestine, a major source of tension

In Ankara, the Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Cavusoglu, clarified in the process that Turkey "would not abandon the Palestinian cause".

Bilateral relations between Israel and Ankara were strained in 2010 with the Mavi Marmara affair, when Israeli forces launched a deadly assault on this Turkish ship trying to deliver aid to the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian enclave. under Israeli blockade. 

The two countries then recalled their ambassadors in 2018 after the deaths of Palestinian protesters in Gaza.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, has often criticized Israeli policies towards the Palestinians.

Israel and Turkey recently welcomed a turning point in their relations, with in particular the visit of President Isaac Herzog in March to Turkey, the first of an Israeli head of state since 2007 in this country.

The head of Turkish diplomacy Mevlüt Cavusoglu made a rare visit to Jerusalem at the end of May as part of this diplomatic thaw.

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