Israeli and Turkish officials met in Jerusalem in the wake of deteriorating relations between Turkey and Israel.
Sunday’s talks “were held in a positive and warm atmosphere,” according to a statement from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Yossi Gal, met with the undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, Feridun Sinirlioglu, in a bid to continue the political dialogue between the two countries, according to the statement.
The officials discussed bilateral and regional issues, as well as the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. They also talked about ways to strengthen and broaden ties on political, economic, commercial and cultural issues, and mutual high-level visits, the ministry said.
“(T)he two sides reiterated the importance of the relationship to both countries and to the region, and of their confidence in the stability of the relationship,” the statement said.
The diplomats are scheduled to meet again in Ankara in November.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been strained since Israel’s operation in early 2009 against Hamas in Gaza. They deteriorated further following a public dressing-down of Turkey’s Israel ambassador, Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, by Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon over an anti-Israel Turkish television drama.
