Israel on Sept. 19 announced the appointment of a new ambassador to Türkiye– the latest sign of warming relations between the two countries following more than a decade-long rift.
Irit Lillian, a senior diplomat who has been in charge of the Israeli Embassy in Ankara for the last two years, will serve as the ambassador, Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced.
She is the first person to hold the post since 2018, when Türkiye withdrew its ambassador from Israel and kicked out Israel’s ambassador to protest the killing of dozens of Palestinians by Israeli gunfire in protests along the Gaza frontier.
Tensions peaked in 2010, when Israeli forces stormed a Turkish ship that wanted to deliver humanitarian aid to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Nine Turkish activists were killed.
In a step toward rapprochement, Israeli President Isaac Herzog visited Türkiye in March to meet with Erdoğan.
Israeli and Türkiye in June officially announced the restoration of full diplomatic relations, including an exchange of ambassadors.
Hurriyet Daily News