- Title: Turkish President receives credentials from new Israeli ambassador
- Date: 5th December 2016
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (DECEMBER 5, 2016) (REUTERS) TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN ARRIVING ISRAEL'S NEW AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY, EITAN NA'EH AND ISRAELI EMBASSY OFFICIALS ARRIVING TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN NA'EH WALKING TO ERDOGAN / NA'EH PRESENTING CREDENTIALS / NA'EH AND ERDOGAN SHAKING HANDS ISRAELI EMBASSY OFFICIALS VARIOUS OF OFFICIALS SHAKING HANDS WITH ERDOGAN VARIOUS OF ERDOGAN AND NA'EH AND ISRAELI OFFICIALS POSING FOR PHOTO ERDOGAN AND NA'EH AND ISRAELI OFFICIALS LEAVING
- Embargoed: 20th December 2016 11:40
- Keywords: Israel Turkey Erdogan ambassador president Ankara
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVA0015BLY4HZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Israel's new ambassador to Turkey, Eitan Na'eh, presented his credentials to President Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday (December 5) as part of the process to normalise ties between the once-close allies after a six-year rupture.
Israel and Turkey said in June they would normalise relations - a rapprochement driven by the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals as well as mutual fears over security risks in the Middle East.
The newly appointed Israeli ambassador, Eitan Na'eh, had served as deputy ambassador in London prior to his appointment to Ankara.
Turkey's new ambassador to Israel, Kemal Okem, is expected to take up his new post later this week, Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
The mending in relations between the once-firm allies after years of negotiations raises the prospect of eventual cooperation to exploit natural gas reserves worth hundreds of billions of dollars under the eastern Mediterranean and opening the way for possible Israeli gas supplies to Europe via Turkey.
The move also comes as the Middle East is polarized by Syria's civil war and as the rise of Islamic State threatens regional security, leaving both countries in need of new alliances.
Relations between Israel and what was once its only Muslim ally crumbled after Israeli marines stormed an aid ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and killed 10 Turkish activists on board.
Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador and froze military cooperation after a 2011 U.N. report into the Israeli raid on the Mavi Marmara largely exonerated the Jewish state. Israel and NATO member Turkey, which both border Syria, reduced intelligence sharing and canceled joint military exercises.
Israel, which had already offered its apologies for the 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara activist ship agreed to pay out $20 million to the bereaved and injured. The deal requires Turkey pass legislation protecting Israeli soldiers against related lawsuits.
Restoring relations with Ankara is a linchpin in Israel's strategy to unlock its natural gas wealth. It is looking for export markets and is exploring a pipeline to Turkey as one option, both for consumers there and as a connection to Europe. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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