- The Media Line - https://themedialine.org -

Turkey’s Ruling Party Says Ready to Improve Ties With Israel

Turkey and Israel want to improve relations, Turkey’s ruling party said Wednesday. The AK Party on Wednesday confirmed that Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called Israel’s new president, Isaac Herzog, on Monday to congratulate him. But each side says the other must make the first move, Al Jazeera reported.

“A framework emerged after this call under which advances should be made on several issues where improvements can be made, and where steps towards solving problematic areas should be taken,” spokesman Omer Celik said after an AK Party meeting.

Erdogan reportedly told Herzog that “positive steps” toward a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict would help improve Turkish-Israeli ties.

Celik also cited tourism and trade as areas where Israel and Turkey could work together.

Turkey and Israel expelled each other’s ambassadors in 2018, two years after restoring relations following a several years’ estrangement.