An Israeli delegation headed by MK (Shas) Nissim Ze’ev and Professor Shimon Sheetrit traveled to Turkey earlier in the week for a meeting with senior officials. The delegation arrived in Istanbul on Sunday morning 9 Shevat 5773 and left to return home later in the day.

The meeting was at the behest of interested parties in Turkey working closely with Ze’ev’s office and the visit was made with the knowledge and the approval of the Prime Minister’s Office in Israel as well as the approval of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The delegation met with a former foreign minister who was acting as a personal emissary of Erdogan. The meeting was part of ongoing behind the scene efforts to restore ties between the two nations, which share many commercial and other interests.

Relations broke down after the Israeli commando operation against the Mavi Marmara, which tried to break the Israeli marine embargo on Gaza. A number of Turkish nationals were killed on board the terror vessel and Erdogan decided that until Israel apologizes for the operation, diplomatic relations will end. There were a number of other incidents preceding the flotilla that revealed Erdogan’s shift from secular Muslim to a more Islamic hard-line position in line with the global Islamic trend.

Have you checked out YWN Radio yet? Click HERE to listen!

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)