Turkiye: warship docks in Israel for first time since normalisation of ties 

A Turkish warship has docked at an Israeli port for the first time in over a decade, following the recent normalisation of ties between the two countries. The TCG Kemalreis, a Barbaros-class frigate, anchored in the northern port of Haifa along with the USS Forrest Sherman, an American guided-missile destroyer, during a NATO exercise.

“The docking is part of Israel’s cooperation with and support of NATO,” explained the Israel Defence Forces. The Turkish defence ministry, meanwhile, said that the frigate would remain in Haifa until 6 September.

A port official added that it was the first time a Turkish naval vessel had visited since at least 2010, when relations between Turkiye and Israel deteriorated after the assault by Israeli commandos on the Turkish-registered Mavi Marmara in international waters in May of that year. Nine Turkish citizens on board the ship were killed in the attack; a tenth died later of his wounds.

The ship was sailing towards the Gaza Strip as part of the Freedom Flotilla to break the Israeli-led siege of the Palestinian enclave. At the time, Ankara recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv.

However, since the normalisation agreement last month, the appointments of news ambassadors and consuls to Tel Aviv and Ankara have also been discussed, reported Anadolu.

“The renewal of relations with Turkiye is an important economic asset for the citizens of Israel,” Prime Minister Yair Lapid. “We will continue to act and strengthen Israel’s international status in the world.”

Ankara said that its decision to restore diplomatic relations with Israel did not mean that Turkiye would abandon its support for the Palestinians. “We are not giving up on the Palestinian cause,” insisted Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.

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