Erdogan, Herzog share rare phone call

Israeli President Isaac Herzog spoke on the phone July 12 with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Turkish president congratulated Herzog on being sworn into his new role as president last week.  A statement issued by Herzog’s office read, “The presidents emphasized in their call that the ties between Israel and Turkey are of great importance to the security and the stability of the Middle East, and there is great potential for cooperation between the countries in many fields, in particular the areas of energy, tourism and technology.”

The Turkish Communication Directorate published a statement of its on, noting, “President Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked to Israeli President Isaac Herzog over the phone. Turkey-Israel relations and regional issues were discussed during the conversation. During the conversation, President Erdogan congratulated Isaac Herzog on his inauguration.” It explained that Erdogan emphasized that bilateral relations were of great importance for security and stability in the region and had potential for benefitting both countries, and he noted that despite the coronavirus pandemic, bilateral trade had increased in recent months.