Leaders of arch-rival nations Israel and Palestine to travel to Turkey in the course of the same week

The Turkish presidency has confirmed that leaders of Israel and Palestine, Benjamin Netanyahu and Mahmoud Abbas respectively, will be traveling to Turkey in the same week to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to visit on July 25, followed by Benjamin Netanyahu a few days later. This marks the first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Turkey in 15 years, with the last one being in 2008 by Ehud Olmert.

Israel and Turkey’s relations have been strained since 2010, but there have been signs of a thaw over the past year. Last year, Israeli President Isaac Herzog and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid met with President Erdogan, indicating a potential improvement in diplomatic ties.

Netanyahu’s upcoming visit comes amid a surge of violence in the West Bank, making the talks all the more significant. Tensions escalated in April this year when Erdogan accused Israel of crossing a red line after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The strain in relations between Turkey and Israel began in 2010 when Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish ship, leading to a deterioration of diplomatic ties for over half a decade. Tensions reached a peak in May 2018 when Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel in response to events in Gaza, where many Palestinians lost their lives during protests against Israel’s blockade.

President Erdogan has been openly critical of Israel’s actions, denouncing them as “state terror” and referring to the country as an “apartheid state,” which further fueled animosity between the two nations. Israel retaliated by expelling the Turkish consul general in Jerusalem, exacerbating the already volatile situation.

The upcoming meetings in Turkey between the leaders of Israel and Palestine suggest a potential opening for dialogue and the possibility of easing tensions in the region. However, the longstanding conflicts and complex issues between the two arch-rival nations remain challenges that need to be addressed through diplomatic efforts.