First Passenger Flight from Israel to Turkey After 10-Year Hiatus

Turkey and Israel are taking initial steps towards normalizing their relations. After a lengthy hiatus of 10 years, a passenger flight belonging to Israel departed for Turkey on February 7.

According to the Twitter page of the Institute for Russian Studies, although Ben Gurion Airport in Israel is closed for passenger transportation, a flight to Turkey was permitted.

It is noteworthy that the first cargo flight from Israel to Turkey after the prolonged break took place in May 2020. Recall that Turkish-Israeli air transport was suspended due to the well-known events of May 31, 2010. The incident involving the 'Freedom Flotilla,' where Israeli commandos killed nine Turks on the Turkish ship 'Mavi Marmara,' led to a sharp deterioration in relations between Turkey and Israel. Following the incident, Turkey presented three conditions to Israel: to apologize, provide compensation, and lift the blockade of Gaza, emphasizing that without the fulfillment of these three points, the normalization of Turkish-Israeli relations would not occur, and Turkey's ambassador would not return to Israel.