Israeli and Turkish ambassadors are expected to return to their respective posts in October, according to a report by Yediot Acharanot.
Diplomats from Israel and Turkey are allegedly conducting secret talks in an effort to restore ties that were strained when President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recalled Turkey’s ambassador in May. The Turkish leader also expelled Israel’s envoy at the same time.
The move immediately followed violence by Hamas-led terrorists along the Gaza border with southern Israel. At the time, 61 Gazans were killed in the clashes with IDF soldiers, nearly all of whom were members of the Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations.
Immediately following Turkey’s diplomatic hostility, Israel expelled Turkey’s consul general in Jerusalem.
Erdogan launched a stream of venom against Israel and in particular, against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on social media — with whom the Turkish leader has had a less-than-cordial relationship in any case — to which Netanyahu responded in full force.
However, Israel’s Foreign Ministry recently issued an internal notice of an opening for the post of ambassador to Turkey, to be filled by summer 2019.
According to the report in Yediot Acharonot, Turkey also returned its commercial attache to its embassy in Tel Aviv in July, after an absence of several years.
However, a war with Hamas could change the entire situation…