Israel’s defense minister Benny Gantz became the first top defense official from his country to visit Turkey in 12 years Thursday as the two nations take steps to normalize their strained ties.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar welcomed the Israeli Defense Minister to Ankara with a military ceremony before the two held talks and chaired meetings between their countries’ delegations, Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense said.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog paid a state visit to Turkey in March, followed by Prime Minister Yair Lapid - who was foreign minister at the time - in June. Last month, Erdogan and Lapid met on the sidelines of the annual U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York.
Turkey and Israeli recently announced they would reappoint their respective ambassadors.
The two countries were once close defense partners. Defense pacts signed in the mid-1990s allowed Israeli air force pilots to train over Turkey’s airspace. Israel upgraded Turkish military tanks and jets, and supplied drones and other high-tech equipment. The countries still share various strategic interests.
