Posted on 02/03/22
| News Source: i24
The Turkish president says he is 'ready to take steps towards Israel in all areas, including natural gas'
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will visit Turkey in mid-March, not in early February as he planned, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Thursday before flying to Ukraine.
A spokesperson for Herzog declined to comment on the announcement; however, officials previously confirmed talks on a visit, according to The Times of Israel.
Speaking to reporters, Erdogan said Turkey and Israel wanted to improve relations.
Last month, the Turkish president said he was "ready to take steps towards Israel in all areas, including natural gas.”
The rapprochement between the two countries began through telephone exchanges between Erdogan and Israeli leaders.
Two weeks ago, the Turkish president said he was ready to cooperate with Israel on a gas pipeline project in the eastern Mediterranean, marking the willingness of Ankara to renew ties with Israel.
This new pipeline project would bring gas from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe. Turkey previously strongly opposed a similar project that included the country's historic rival, Greece.
However, according to Israeli and Turkish media, Washington warned Athens that it no longer supported the project because of the tensions it was causing with Ankara.
Erdogan then mentioned "talks with Israeli President Herzog" and suggested that he "could visit Turkey. Prime Minister (Naftali) Bennett also has a positive approach," he said.