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Rivlin, Erdogan discuss cooperation against terror in rare call between leaders
In the first conversation between Israeli and Turkish leaders in three years, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and his counterpart, Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke yesterday by phone in the wake of recent terror attacks in Istanbul and Brussels.
Rivlin called Erdogan to thank him for a condolence letter he sent after three Israelis were killed by a suicide bomber in Istanbul last weekend. Erdogan said that he felt “deep sadness” at the deaths and had instructed Turkish authorities to do “all that was necessary to help.” Following the attack, the Director General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Dore Gold travelled to Turkey and said, “There is no doubt that the Turkish authorities did the maximum to help Israelis.”
Rivlin told Erdogan, “Mr. President, terrorism is terrorism, life is life, and blood is blood, whether it is in Istanbul, Brussels, Paris or Jerusalem,” referencing the locations of recent terror attacks. He added, “We must all stand together in the fight against this terrible evil.” Meanwhile, Erdogan himself said “I believe that against this terrorism we have to stand together with the international community and take a very, very firm stance, and increase our cooperation against all terrorist acts. In this regard we are ready to cooperate with Israel against terrorism.”
The conversation will likely fuel speculation over the past several months that Israel and Turkey are on the verge of restoring diplomatic ties after a six-year hiatus. In 2010, the previously warm relationship between Israel and Turkey deteriorated and diplomatic relations were ceded after the deaths of ten Turkish citizens who were killed whilst trying to prevent Israeli commandos taking over a Gaza-bound protest ship, the Mavi Marmara.
It is thought that a compensation deal for the families of those killed aboard the Mavi Marmara has been agreed, but disagreements apparently remain on Turkey’s insistence on access to Gaza, a move opposed by Egypt, plus Turkey’s lingering support for Hamas. Netanyahu yesterday confirmed that talks are “making progress.”