Israel to demand Ankara end Hamas activity in Turkey
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu kicked off a two-day trip to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Tuesday, the first such visit by a senior Turkish official in more than a decade.
On Wednesday, he was due to hold talks with Foreign Minister and Prime Minister-designate Yair Lapid and Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov.
In Wednesday’s meetings, Israeli officials were set to condition improved ties with Ankara on the Turks putting an end to Hamas activities in Wednesday’s meetings. Although officials understand Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ideological ties to the terrorist group make him unlikely to halt their activities in the country altogether, Jerusalem plans to demand Ankara put an end to Hamas activities in the country that put Israelis’ lives at risk.
Although Israeli officials are pleased with Turkey’s efforts to mend ties, they intend to proceed with caution out of concern Erdogan could issue a sharp statement that undermines the reconciliation process. No understandings have yet to be reached on returning the ambassadors at this stage, and Israel has made clear it has no intention of restricting its alliance with Cyprus and Greece. Jerusalem has further demanded Turkey’s leader refrain from issuing antisemitic and verbal assaults on Israel.
In their joint meeting, Lapid and Cavusoglu will discuss Syria, Iran, and the development of trade and tourism ties, among other issues.
Cavusoglu on Wednesday was also set to visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum and Al Aqsa Mosque, the latter of which has been described as a personal visit that will not include Israeli security forces.
Speaking after meeting his Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Maliki in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Cavusoglu said Turkish support for the Palestinians would not diminish even as once frozen relations with Israel thawed.
“Our support for the Palestinian cause is completely independent of the course of our relations with Israel,” he told reporters.
Cavusoglu met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.
Recent confrontations between Palestinians and Israeli police at the flashpoint site have raised tensions in the region.
Cavusoglu said reports of the clashes had upset Turkey. “It is important for all Muslims that the sanctity and status of the Al-Aqsa is protected,” he said.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki hailed Cavusoglu’s visit as “historical,” with Turkey and the Palestinians signing nine cooperation agreements on Tuesday.
“What we heard has reinforced our position and what we do to achieve freedom and independence,” Maliki said after the meeting.
Israel and Turkey have been working to mend their long-strained ties with energy emerging as a key area for potential cooperation. Turkey and Israel once were close allies, but the relationship frayed under Erdogan, who is an outspoken critic of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians. Israel also has been angered by Erdogan’s embrace of Hamas, the terrorist group that controls the Gaza Strip.
The countries withdrew their respective ambassadors in 2010 after Israeli forces stormed a flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade. The incident resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists after they attacked Israeli soldiers.
Relations broke down again in 2018 when Turkey, angered by the US moving its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, once more recalled its ambassador, prompting Israel to respond in kind.
Source: Israel Hayom
