(Bloomberg) -- The presidents of Turkey and Israel vowed to build on a nascent thaw in relations in Ankara on Wednesday, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine provides the latest geopolitical impetus for better ties.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the visit of his Israeli counterpart, Isaac Herzog, would be a “turning point” in relations. “Our common goal is to revive political dialogue between our countries based on respect for mutual sensitivities and interests. That is critical for regional peace,” Erdogan said.
On paper, the two men are a mismatch. Herzog holds a ceremonial role traditionally removed from big issues of state, while Erdogan has sweeping executive power and a desire to wield influence region-wide.
But Herzog spent decades in politics and the diplomatic mileage he's clocked up gives him experience that's rare in the current Israeli government. After their meeting, Erdogan said the two leaders had discussed ways to bolster cooperation ranging from trade to energy and regional peace.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set to visit Israel in April, to be followed by the country's energy minister.
While the first visit by an Israeli leader to Turkey since 2008 primarily reflects a shift in Middle Eastern dynamics as the U.S. reassesses its priorities in the region, Russia's attack on Ukraine and Europe's post-Cold War security settlement provides a sobering backdrop.
Before boarding the plane for Ankara, Herzog touched on the war. “At a time when the international order is being shaken, it is good and proper that stability and partnership be maintained in our region,” he said. The 61-year-old will meet leaders of Istanbul's dwindling Jewish community on Thursday.
The Unlikely Israeli Behind Budding Ties With Turkey
Close ties between the eastern Mediterranean neighbors frayed from 2003 as Erdogan took power at the head of an Islamic-oriented government. A fatal 2010 raid by Israeli commandos on a Turkish flotilla seeking to breach Israel's blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip snapped relations. Israeli military sales to Turkey were halted, though most bilateral trade survived.
A brief improvement from 2016 ended two years later after Israeli soldiers killed dozens of Palestinians amid sometimes violent protests over the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Turkey's now looking to boost trade with regional powers -- Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates among them -- as its own floundering economy costs Erdogan support ahead of 2023 elections. Business opportunities unlocked by Israel's peace deals with four Arab nations are up for grabs.
Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a Turkey expert at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, said a UAE pledge of $10 billion in investment support for Turkey helped encourage Erdogan's realignment.
“One of the most important preconditions to become a member of this axis is to normalize Turkey's relations with Israel,” he said, while Ankara's history of supporting Hamas leaders remains a barrier. Repairing ties could again make Turkey a favorite destination for Israeli tourists.
After years when Turkey's exploration activities in contested eastern Mediterranean waters largely excluded it from joint projects, Erdogan on Wednesday suggested reviving a pipeline proposal that could carry natural gas to Europe via Turkey.
He said Turkey has the “necessary experience and capacity” to develop the project, and cited the need for “energy security” after the Russian invasion.
Israel, however, is exploring a separate gas-export pipeline linking Cyprus and Greece. Both ideas, which could help reduce Europe's reliance on Russian imports, face financing and technical challenges as well as a global shift toward green energy.
Turkey has sought to balance relations with Moscow and its membership with NATO -- not always with great success. Erdogan's 2017 deal to purchase Russian missile defenses infuriated the bloc.
That high-wire act is likely to continue even after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Turkish forces deployed in Syria's rebel-held Idlib region would be at risk from any permanent rupture with Vladimir Putin, who backs the Assad regime.
The presence of Iranian forces in Syria also provides Israel with a reason not to alienate Moscow. Both Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett have offered to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv.
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