In Turkey, Israel's foreign minister meets Erdogan, promises earthquake aid
Meeting with Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged and thanked Jerusalem for its assistance to the victims of the recent earthquakes.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Israel’s foreign minister on Tuesday in Ankara, where Eli Cohen expressed Jerusalem’s support for the victims of last week's earthquakes.
The last such meeting took place five months ago, when then-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met with Erdogan in New York, at the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Israel's new ambassador to Turkey Irit Lillian presented her credentials to Erdogan Dec. 27, officially ending more than a decade of sour bilateral relations. Relations started deteriorating in 2010 after the Mavi Marmara flotilla to Gaza, where nine Turkish nationals were killed by IDF fire, and continued deteriorating over Erdogan's pro-Palestinian anti-Israel stances. That has changed some two years ago, leading to reconciliation between Ankara and Jerusalem.
At the meeting, Cohen conveyed condolences on behalf of the Israeli government and people, and promised Israel would continue providing humanitarian aid to disaster-stricken areas.
Cohen noted that the bilateral relations are important for the stability of the region. He added, "Friends are measured in times of trouble. At this difficult time, Israel is reaching out and expressing solidarity with the Turkish people."
