Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a historic meeting on Tuesday night with Turkish President Recep Erdogan, marking a significant milestone in the evolving relationship between Israel and Turkey. "The ties between us are getting stronger," Netanyahu remarked during the meeting. This encounter signified a remarkable shift in relations, considering Erdogan's past history of making harsh anti-Israel statement. In March 2019, for instance, Erdogan referred to Netanyahu as a "tyrant" and accused him of being a "killer of Palestinian children."
The transformation in this relationship began to take shape in the wake of Israel's recent elections, which saw Netanyahu emerge victorious. Erdogan reached out to congratulate Netanyahu and expressed his commitment to maintaining the renewed ties between Ankara and Jerusalem. As a significant step towards reconciliation, President Yitzhak Herzog visited Ankara last year, where he was warmly received by Erdogan at his palace. Subsequently, both countries reinstated their ambassadors, signaling a positive shift in diplomatic relations.
Footage from Netanyahu- Erdogan meeting. Looks very cordial
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) September 20, 2023
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The pivotal meeting between Netanyahu and Erdogan occurred at the Turkish House in New York. During this encounter, the two leaders affirmed their commitment to enhancing Israel-Turkey relations, particularly in the areas of trade, economy, and energy. They also engaged in discussions concerning regional and international issues, including the normalization process between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Netanyahu took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the President of Turkey for the cooperation between their security organizations, which effectively thwarted the malicious intentions of terrorist groups targeting Israeli tourists in Istanbul, ultimately saving lives. Additionally, both leaders extended invitations for reciprocal visits to their respective countries, with plans for these visits to be coordinated and executed in the near future. It's worth noting that Netanyahu's planned visit to Erdogan in July was postponed due to his pacemaker surgery.
Before his meeting with Erdogan, Netanyahu also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the first time since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This meeting took place in Kiev, a significant symbolic gesture given the timing and geopolitical context. During their extended discussion, Netanyahu conveyed Israel's commitment to assisting Ukraine in humanitarian matters, particularly in dealing with the issue of landmines in civilian areas.
At the top of his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Ukraine's president Zelensky gave a big hug to the director of the Mossad spy agency David Barnea. This could indicate that it is not the first time they met pic.twitter.com/NYKz6GHRe5
— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) September 19, 2023
In addition to these diplomatic engagements, Netanyahu had a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Schulz. In this meeting, Netanyahu emphasized the critical importance of not accepting Iran's recent announcement regarding the removal of some International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from Iran's nuclear facilities.
These series of high-profile meetings set the stage for Netanyahu's highly anticipated meeting with US President Joe Biden, scheduled for the following morning. This meeting holds particular significance as it marks the first encounter between the two leaders since the formation of the current Israeli government. Among the items on the agenda is the shared ambition to advance a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
