MESOP MIDEAST WATCH PRO ERDOGAN!: Israels Gantz Announces Restoration of Defense Ties With Turkey
Defense Minister Gantz met with Turkish President Erdogan and his counterpart Hulusi Akar in the first visit by an Israeli defense minister to Turkey in nearly a decade, as Ankara-Jerusalem ties warm
Defense Minister Benny Gantz met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, after announcing a gradual resumption of defense ties with Ankara, in the first visit by an Israeli defense minister to Turkey in about a decade.
At the beginning of the meeting, Gantz thanked Erdogan for the work of his country’s defense agencies in saving the lives of Israelis and members of Turkey’s Jewish community. There is much potential in these actions, he said, to strengthen the countries’ security cooperation and official defense ties.
According to the Turkish Press Office, the two discussed strategic matters, both countries’ need to strive toward establishing regional security, and regional prosperity and security.
Earlier, Gantz met with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. In a joint address after the meeting, he declared that “This year, as a result of close, covert contact, we succeeded in removing an alarming number of threats against Israeli citizens and Jewish people in Turkey.” Gantz said, “We are thankful to President Erdogan, Minister Akar and the security agencies involved in this crucial, life-saving cooperation.”
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He continued, “Moving forward, we must adopt a steady, positive approach in our relations – maintaining open dialogue. As agreed in our meetings, I have instructed my staff [at the Defense Ministry] to begin the procedures required in order to resume working relations.”
“I thank Turkey for its life-saving security cooperation,” Gantz said in a joint address with Akar. “I have ordered the officials at the defense ministry to make contact with their counterparts, and to gradually return to a cooperative working routine regarding defense.”
Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar, in Ankara, on Thursday.
U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed Israel’s restoration of an ambassador as part of improved Israel-Turkey diplomatic relations during his meeting with President Isaac Herzog at the White House.
In recent years, official security ties between Turkey and Israel were almost completely severed due to the deterioration of relations between the countries.
Relations between Jerusalem and Ankara were conducted mainly in secret, and at a relatively junior level. In recent months however, Israeli and Turkish security officials have conducted secret talks intended to lead to restoring full diplomatic relations.
“The Middle East and East-Med regions are changing,” Gantz said. “Alliances – some of which were unthinkable not long ago – are being built in the face of alarming threats such as the one posed by Iran.”
The talks were led by the head of the security-political division at the Defense Ministry, Dror Shalom, and according to Israeli security sources, the renewal of ties was conducted in coordination with Greece, Cyprus and the United States.
One source said “the purpose of the meeting is to strengthen Israel’s security ties in the region.” According to him, “Turkey is a significant player in the Mediterranean region and has a presence in the Syrian area, which is greatly important.”
the source also said that strengthening ties with Turkey will buttress Israel’s relations with countries with which it has no official relations.
The source clarified however that other open issues remain, such as “the presence of Hamas and terrorist organizations in Turkey.”
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Last month, Prime Minister Yair Lapid and Erdogan met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where the two discussed the fight against terrorism and Lapid thanked the Turkish president for the intelligence cooperation aimed at thwarting Iranian attacks against Israelis and Jews in Turkey, according to a statement from his office.
The two also discussed cooperation in the fields of economy and energy.
Lapid also welcomed the appointment of the new ambassador to Turkey Irit Lilian, following the agreement between the two leaders in August on the return of ambassadors and consuls general between the countries and the full renewal of diplomatic relations.
Ben Samuels contributed to this report.