Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered joint statements celebrating Herzog’s exceptional visit this afternoon in Ankara. The two met at the presidential palace in Ankara, where there will be a state dinner for Herzog and his wife tonight.

The two leaders reportedly met for an hour and a half, discussing a variety of issues including mechanisms to mediate diplomatic disagreements and joint working groups for cooperation. They also discussed the presence of Hamas in Turkey, the release last November of two Israeli tourists in Istanbul (in which Erdogan was engaged personally) and the status of their respective diplomatic missions, which have operated without ambassadors since 2018. No mention was made of their return.

Erdogan said in front of the cameras, "I am very pleased to host the Honorable President Herzog here at our residence in Ankara. I believe that this historic visit will be a turning point in relations between Turkey and Israel." The Turkish president said he hopes the two countries will develop deep relations and cooperation in many fields, especially in trade and economy.

Herzog began his statement by thanking Erdogan for his hospitality in Turkish and noting that he and his wife Michal are happy to be in Turkey as the president’s guests.