Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog. File photoTEL AVIV, Aug 17Restoring full diplomatic relations with Turkey will help strengthen economic relations, friendship between the Israeli and Turkish peoples, Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog said. Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey had made decisions appoint an ambassador to Israel and restore diplomatic relations.» I welcome the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Turkey — an important event that will strengthen economic relations, mutual tourism and friendship between the Israeli and Turkish peoples. Good neighborly relations and the spirit of partnership in the Middle East are important for everyone us,» the president said in a statement. In turn, Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that the resumption of relations with Turkey is important for regional stability and is «important economic news for the citizens of Israel.» Relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated sharply in 2010 after Israeli takeover incident m special forces of the Mavi Marmara ship that left Turkey for the Gaza Strip. In May 2018, Ankara invited the Israeli ambassador to Turkey to leave the country after protests in the Gaza Strip against the background of the 70th anniversary of the founding of Israel and the transfer of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, timed to coincide with the anniversary. Then, 59 Palestinians were killed in clashes, more than 2.7 thousand were injured.
