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After the unusual conversation with Erdogan: Herzog sent a reassuring message to Greece
In a conversation with the President of Greece, the President clarified that there is no change in Israel's policy towards Athens and that any improvement in relations with Turkey will not come at its expense.
The Greek Foreign Minister arrived in Israel today, for talks that will also deal with tensions with Ankara.
Meanwhile, Israel has condemned a unilateral Turkish move in the demilitarized zone of Cyprus
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Yitzhak Herzog
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Turkey
Greece
Cyprus
Turkish Cyprus
Lightning Ravid
Wednesday, 21 July 2021, 11:04
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Following the unusual conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Yitzhak Herzog sent a reassuring message to Greece in a phone call a few days ago with his Greek counterpart Katrina Sackleropolo. Senior Israeli officials told Walla! Because Herzog made it clear that improving relations between Israel and Turkey would not come at the expense of relations with Greece.
Last week, Erdogan called Herzog and congratulated him on his inauguration. Foreign Ministry officials said they had recommended having the phone call, although they do not think relations with Turkey can be dramatically improved at the present time.
This was the first conversation between Erdogan and a senior Israeli official since the crisis on the Temple Mount in July 2017, when he spoke on the phone with President Rivlin. The call came after a series of conciliatory public messages that Turkey has been sending to Israel since Joe Biden's victory in the US presidential election in November 2020, and even more so since he entered the White House last January.
A soothing message.
Herzog at the opening ceremony of the Emirate Embassy in Israel, last week (Photo: Flash 90, Miriam Elster)
Relations between Israel and Turkey have been in a continuous crisis for almost the entire 12 years since Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2009 and the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010.
The two countries normalized relations between them in 2016 only to lower the level of relations again in light of the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem and the clashes on the border with Gaza in 2018.
During these years, Israel established an alliance with Greece and Cyprus that focused on political, security and economic cooperation.
The alliance between the three countries has been greatly strengthened against the background of gas discoveries in the eastern Mediterranean and the common concern about Turkey's operations in the region, including the issue of the struggle for gas reserves.
During the conversation between Erdogan and Herzog, the two discussed improving relations between the two countries and mentioned possible cooperation in the field of energy.
This part of the conversation in particular has caused concern in Athens.
Senior Israeli officials said the Greek president had called to congratulate Herzog on taking office and during the conversation asked the president about his conversation with Erdogan.
Herzog replied that the conversation with Erdogan did not represent a change in Israeli policy toward Greece.
The president's house confirmed that Herzog had said the things, but stressed that this was a small part of a conversation that dealt mainly with congratulations on the occasion of his inauguration.
More on Walla!
President Herzog talks with Erdogan: "Advancing steps to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict"
To the full article
In the background, the Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dandias, arrived today for a quick visit to Israel, during which he will meet with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, with the Turkish issue being one of the main topics in the talks. Concerns in Greece over Turkey have intensified after Erdogan arrived in northern Cyprus yesterday - the Turkish part of the island - and took part in a military parade.
During the march, the Northern Cyprus leader said he had decided to house civilians in part of the abandoned city of Warsaw, which the UN Security Council has decided is a demilitarized zone between Cyprus and northern Cyprus. "Israel is following Turkey's unilateral steps and statements with great concern," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Hayat said.
The Biden administration also condemned the Turkish move, calling it a "unilateral provocation."
Secretary of State Tony Blinken called on Turkey to withdraw from the move and said Washington would seek to convene the UN Security Council to take action against Turkey.
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