Israel’s newly reinstated envoy to Turkey set to present credentials to Erdogan

Irit Lillian, a senior diplomat who played a key role in Israeli-Turkish reconciliation, has been Israel’s charge d’affaires in Ankara since February 2021, during which time both sides moved slowly but steadily toward restoring full diplomatic relations.

In May 2018, Turkey recalled its ambassador and asked Israel’s envoy to leave in protest of Israel’s response to violent rioting on the Gaza border, in which dozens of Palestinians were killed.

In August of this year, Israel and Turkey announced the full renewal of diplomatic ties after two years of slow reconciliation, which picked up pace noticeably with mutual visits by senior officials.

“From the beginning, it was clear that we were building a process in which we agree to disagree,” Lillian, who has previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Bulgaria and Australia, told The Times of Israel during an August interview. “We are going into proper, positive bilateral relations that have a wide range of activities, but we know that there are points we don’t agree on,” she said. “We know we are not going into a perfect marriage.”

Turkey’s incoming ambassador to Israel, Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, presented a copy of his letter of credence at the beginning of the month in Jerusalem, allowing him to start working. He is expected to present the original to President Isaac Herzog on January 11, whereupon he can officially take up the position.

Torunlar is a veteran diplomat who previously served as Turkey’s consul general in Jerusalem — effectively its ambassador to the Palestinians — and was most recently ambassador to India.

In the letter presented by Torunlar, Erdogan emphasized his desire “to maintain and strengthen further the relations of friendship which happily exist between the Republic of Turkiye and the State of Israel.”