Erdogan Says Open To Improved Relations With Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday raised the prospects of improved relations with Israel as "beneficial" for regional peace and stability, but only after the Jewish state adopts "more sensitive" policies toward Palestinians.

The Turkish leader made the remarks to reporters during an official visit to Qatar, Turkish media reported on Wednesday.

“But at this point, Israel needs to be more sensitive concerning its Palestinian policy. It needs to be sensitive about Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque,” Erdogan said. 

“As soon as we detect the sensitivities, we will do our best and take steps (for better ties)."

Erdogan is a vocal critic of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, as relations between the two countries soured during his presidency.

However, the language used on Tuesday is more tempered than previous public statements made by Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party.

Israel is critical of Erdogan's embrace of the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip, with Jerusalem calling for Ankara to toughen its stance against the Islamist movement designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, the European Union, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

In a sign of improved ties, Erdogan recently participated in a phone call with Israel's Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who thanked the Turkish leader for his role in the release of an Israeli couple jailed on suspicion of espionage.

Erdogan also spoke on the phone with Israel's President Isaac Herzog last month, saying that continued dialogue between the two countries was in their "mutual interest."