- i24NEWS
- Middle East
- Levant & Turkey
- Israeli airlines renew direct flights to Turkey after over 15 years
Israeli airlines renew direct flights to Turkey after over 15 years
'The renewal of the flights and signing a new aviation agreement was the first element in the roadmap for the upgrading of relations with Turkey'
The first direct Israeli flight in over 15 years departed from Israel to Turkey as relations between the two countries continue to improve.
An Israir Airbus left Tel Aviv at 11:35 a.m. bound for Istanbul. Israeli airline flights to and from Turkey were completely halted in late 2007 due to a series of political crises.
However, relations began to improve with the full restoration of diplomatic ties announced last year. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog paid a visit to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan last May, when the agreement about the resumption of flights was decided on.
On Tuesday, Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen also visited Ankara in a solidarity visit amid the continued rescue efforts after the devastating earthquake hit Turkey. Yael Ravia-Zadok, head of the economic affairs division of the foreign ministry, told i24NEWS that it was a “very festive occasion.”
“The renewal of the flights and signing a new aviation agreement was the first element in the roadmap for the recovery, for the upgrading of the relationship with Turkey,” she said.
“We relaunched the dialogue with the Turkish side in July. In two weeks, we signed a new aviation agreement and we started to work in several rounds of negotiations and visits on the ground in order to install the facilities and to agree on the procedures that will enable the return of the Israeli airplanes,” she continued, adding that this work was carried out together with the Israeli embassy in Ankara.
Ravia-Zadok noted that the timing of the departure of the first Israeli plane is significant due to the disaster that hit Turkey calling it a “flight of solidarity and friendship” as humanitarian aid is also being transported onboard.
“Some medical equipment and medicine and supplies that would be very helpful and are highly needed. Israir told us that they are ready to ship (it) on their flights, ongoing support to Turkey,” she said, underlining the “magnificent efforts of the Israeli civil society” that collected tons of aid for the Turkish quake victims.