Netanyahu congratulates Erdogan on his victory and vows to strengthen ties with Turkey

Jerusalem, May 30. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke last night with Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan, whom he congratulated on his victory in the second round of the Turkish elections. Both promised to strengthen ties between the two countries, which recovered full ties last year.

After a first conversation in the morning between Erdogan and the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, who also congratulated him on the electoral victory, Netanyahu was the second Israeli authority to speak with the Turkish president last night.

“The two leaders agreed to continue strengthening bilateral relations and take them to new heights,” the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

As detailed, Netanyahu insisted to Erdogan on his commitment “to the expansion of the circle of peace of the State of Israel and to the strengthening of its ties with Turkey.”

In turn, according to the same source, Erdogan “reiterated his gratitude for the help” provided by the Israeli rescue teams after the catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey.

The ties between Israel and Turkey were tense for many years, and after reaching minimum levels, both States reestablished full ties in 2022, in a process by which they also returned their ambassadors who had been withdrawn from their respective diplomatic representations in Ankara and Tel Aviv.

The rapprochement took place between the Erdogan government and the previous Israeli Executive headed by Naftali Benet and later Yair Lapid, and relations have been maintained with the government coalition led by Netanyahu after returning to power last December.

For years, friction between Erdogan and Netanyahu was common and included controversial cross-statements between the two. To a large extent they were centered around the Palestinian question, the main element that in recent years divided both countries.

Last Sunday, Turkey held the second round of its presidential elections, in which Erdogan once again prevailed over his rival, the Social Democrat Kemal Kiliçdaroglu. EFE

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