A Very Busy Israeli Minister Gives Thanks to Turkey for Foiling Iranian Attacks on Israelis

If this week is any indication, Yair Lapid can handle a lot of different items on his plate at once, without missing a morsel. Only days ago, he learned that he will soon be handed the reins as Israel’s interim prime minister, but it was as foreign minister that Mr. Lapid made a short trip to Ankara on Thursday.He flew with the express purpose of thanking Turkish authorities for their integral cooperation in foiling attacks against Israeli citizens in Turkey, and warned Israel would not “sit idly by” in the face of threats to its citizens from Iran.Mr. Lapid made the comments after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, as the two countries press ahead with efforts to repair ties that have been strained over Turkey’s strong support for the Palestinians.Earlier this month, Israel issued a warning for its citizens to avoid travel to Turkey and urged Israelis in Turkey to leave immediately. The warning said Israeli citizens could be targets of Iranian attacks.Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on an Iranian plot to assassinate Israeli citizens in Istanbul. Up to 10 suspects, including local collaborators, were detained in a joint operation conducted by Turkish intelligence and police at Istanbul’s Soul Hotel and in three separate rental houses in the city’s Beyoğlu district on June 17, it said. Police also seized two pistols and two silencers in searches.The Jerusalem Post said that both Mossad and the Turkish authorities helped foil the plot to kidnap Israelis in Turkey, and that one of the alleged targets was the former Israeli ambassador and his wife, who had been staying at the luxury Soul Hotel in the historic heart of Istanbul. Some of the Israelis in harm’s way were spirited out of the country on a private plane just moments before a hit team would have been bearing down on them.Hurriyet also reported that the would-be Iranian assailants were disguised as business people and tourists. “In recent weeks, the lives of Israeli citizens have been saved thanks to security and diplomatic cooperation” between Israel and Turkey, Mr. Lapid said. “We are full of appreciation for the Turkish government for this professional and coordinated activity.”He continued: “For its part, Israel won’t sit idly by when there are attempts to harm its citizens in Israel and around the world. Our immediate goal is to bring about calm that will enable us to change the travel warning” regarding Turkey.The travel warning angered Turkey, whose economy depends on tourism to a large extent. Ankara responded by issuing a statement that said Turkey was a safe country.Standing next to Mr. Lapid, Mr. Cavusoglu said Turkey “cannot permit these kinds of incidents taking place in our country.”“We have delivered the necessary messages,” he said, without elaborating.Prime Minister Bennett previously said that a joint operation with Turkey succeeded in thwarting several attacks and resulted in the arrest of several suspected operatives on Turkish soil in recent days.Mr. Lapid’s visit comes amid political turmoil in Israel, where Mr. Bennett’s fragile, year-old government decided this week to dissolve parliament, triggering new elections to take place in the fall. Under the agreement that forged Mr. Bennett’s coalition government, Mr. Lapid is expected in the coming days to become caretaker prime minister until a new government is cobbled together after the elections.The developments deepen a political crisis in Israel, which has held four elections since 2019, each largely a referendum over Prime Minister Netanyahu’s rule. Mr. Netanyahu hopes to return to power in the upcoming vote, but polls show that as in previous rounds it will unlikely produce a clear winner.Turkey, beset by economic troubles, has been trying to end its international isolation by normalizing ties with several countries in the Mideast, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.Turkey and Israel were once close allies, but relations grew tense under President Erdogan, who is a vocal critic of Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians. Turkey’s embrace of an Islamic militant group, Hamas, has angered Israel.The countries withdrew their ambassadors in 2010 after Israeli forces stormed a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza, which has been under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade since Hamas seized power there in 2007.Nine Turkish activists were killed. Israel apologized to Turkey for the deaths under a U.S.-brokered agreement, but reconciliation efforts stalled.Turkey recalled its ambassador in 2018 after the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, prompting Israel to respond in kind. The two countries have not reappointed their ambassadors.The two ministers said Thursday that they had agreed to hold discussions on re-appointing ambassadors.The latest rapprochement has been led by Israel’s mostly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, who has held several telephone calls with Mr. Erdogan and visited Turkey in March, becoming the first Israeli leader to do so in 14 years. Mr. Cavusoglu visited Israel last month. It was the first official visit to Israel by a Turkish official in 15 years.

A Very Busy Israeli Minister Gives Thanks to Turkey for Foiling Iranian Attacks on Israelis

A Very Busy Israeli Minister Gives Thanks to Turkey for Foiling Iranian Attacks on Israelis

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