Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey and Israel can work together to carry natural gas from Israel to Europe and the two countries will discuss energy cooperation during talks next month, Reuters reported on Friday.
Erdogan, who was speaking to reporters on a return flight from Kiev, said on Thursday that President Isaac Herzog will visit Turkey in mid-March. He added that energy cooperation would be on the agenda during Herzog’s visit.
The Turkish President said last week that Herzog would visit Turkey before mid-February and a new page will be opened in the two countries’ strained bilateral relations.
Israel has not yet confirmed a visit by Herzog to Turkey.
Erdogan has been pushing to improve the strained relations between his country and Israel. Two weeks ago, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke on the phone with his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu.
This was the first public telephone conversation between an Israeli foreign minister and a Turkish foreign minister in 13 years.
Turkey and Israel signed a comprehensive reconciliation deal in 2016, ending a six-year diplomatic standoff following a violent encounter between Israeli soldiers and Islamist radicals on a ship attempting to break through the security blockade on Gaza.
Even after the deal was signed, Erdogan has continued to verbally attack Israel. Several months ago, however, Herzog and Erdogan held a lengthy conversation shortly after Herzog took office.
The two also spoke following the release of Israeli couple Mordy and Natali Oknin from a Turkish prison.
Erdogan also spoke with Herzog and offered condolences following the passing of Herzog's mother, Aura Herzog, several weeks ago.
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)