Erdogan and Netanyahu set to meet
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plan to meet next month in Ankara in an attempt to warm up their bilateral relations, according to reports.
More specifically, the talks between the two leaders are expected to focus on the possible export of gas from a field near Gaza to Europe via Turkey as problems in the supply chain caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have forced the two countries to strengthen ties after a decade-long breakdown in their communication channels.
These efforts are not unknown in Athens, which has been informed via various channels that any attempt to improve relations with Turkey will have no bearing on Greek-Israeli relations.
The planning was first revealed by the well-known Israeli journalist Barak Ravid, citing “a senior Israeli official,” while on Friday Bloomberg also reported on the issue in an extensive report, noting that the intention of the two sides is for the meeting to take place in Ankara as early as July. The two countries re-established official diplomatic relations last summer after 12 years and since then there have been several regular exchanges and meetings.
It remains to be seen if the meeting will be set for midsummer or early autumn. According to Israeli media, the possibility of a meeting between the two leaders also stems from the increasingly shared concerns about Iran’s activities, and the need for Netanyahu to present the profile of a leader who can talk to his regional counterparts.
Regardless of the intense political situation within Israel, the most significant diplomatic ferment since the beginning of the year has been the potential for cooperation between Ankara and Jerusalem in the field of energy. Tellingly, during a recent visit to Ankara, the Israeli president received a proposal from Erdogan for energy cooperation. Erdogan then proposed shipping Israeli gas to Europe via Turkey.
