Turkey’s top diplomat heads to Israel and the West Bank, in first visit in years

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Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is expected in Israel and the West Bank for a two-day visit starting Tuesday, the first such visit by a senior Turkish official in more than a decade.

Cavusoglu will meet with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki in Ramallah on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the Turkish minister will meet with Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Tourism Minister Yoel Rzvozov.

He is also slated to visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City. The visit to Al-Aqsa, which was the epicenter of Israeli-Palestinian tensions and violence during Ramadan, was described as a private one, meaning Israel will not be involved in it. Turkey has been critical of Israel’s policies concerning the holy site, sacred to both Muslims and Jews.

This is the first official Turkish visit to Israel since a historic meeting between President Isaac Herzog and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara in March, which signaled a shift toward repairing bilateral relations.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara, Turkey, in March.Burhan Ozbilici/AP

“For over a year, there has been a gradual process of improved relations and confidence building,” explained Dr. Nimrod Goren, the founder and chairman of Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies.

“After President Herzog’s successful visit to Turkey, the Turkish foreign minister’s visit to Israel puts the ball in the political court,” he said. “The visit takes place after Israel and Turkey set aside controversies and sensitivities about the month of Ramadan, as well as the wave of terror, something they didn’t manage to do in the past.”

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Erdogan has been pushing for warmer relations with Israel for some time, including in public remarks. His diplomatic efforts, which also include moves to improve ties with Gulf states, Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries, come against the backdrop of Turkey’s dire economic situation.

Israel’s relations with Turkey have known many downfalls over the past decade. In May 2018, in protest over the killing of 61 Palestinians in clashes in the Gaza strip, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador. The Turkish ambassador left Israel following the incident as well.

Israel was wary of Erdogan’s statements, as he is known to be fickle in regard to Israel and has backed Palestinian groups, including Hamas.

“I have no illusions regarding Turkey,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told Haaretz in January. “I have seen what happens during moments of crisis in Gaza. We know these dynamics well,” he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.