After four years of diplomatic strain, Turkiye welcomes Israel’s ambassador

After four years marked by strain in diplomatic relations, Israel’s envoy to Türkiye assumed her duties after presenting her letter of credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Irit Lillian, a senior diplomat who played a key role in Israeli-Turkish reconciliation, was welcomed by Erdogan at the presidential complex in the capital Ankara on Tuesday.

She has been Israel’s charge d’affaires in Ankara since February 2021, during which time both sides gradually moved toward restoring full diplomatic relations.

After the ceremony at the presidential palace, Lillian expressed her hope that bilateral ties would continue to expand.

“We all expect that the process of growing closer diplomatically between Israel and Turkey will become stronger, will broaden and will spread over many areas of cooperation,” she said in a video statement, reported Times of Israel newspaper.

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In August, Türkiye and Israel agreed to restore full diplomatic ties and reappoint ambassadors and consuls general after a four-year hiatus.

Last month, Israeli Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu after winning the elections assured that he and Erdogan will “work together to create a new era in relations” on a basis of respect for mutual interests.

Though close regional allies once, Israel and Turkey’s relations havebeen strained for more than a decade.

In 2010, Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador following a 2010 Israeli raid on an aid ship to Gaza, which killed 10 Turkish citizens.

Six years later, both Turkey and Israel announced to restore diplomatic relations, but in 2018, their ties soured again after Israeli forces killed a number of Palestinians who had taken part in protests in the Gaza Strip, forcing Turkey to recall its ambassador from Israel and expel the Israeli envoy.

(With inputs from agencies)

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