Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said he hopes for an improvement in relations between Ankara and Tel Aviv, which have deteriorated since the outbreak of the Gaza war, but stressed that any progress depends entirely on the Turkish side.
Speaking to Azerbaijan’s APA news agency during an official visit to Baku on Jan. 26, Saar said Israel intends to maintain the current diplomatic channel.
“We do not want to take relations with Türkiye to a more negative point than where they stand today.”
Recalling that Israel and Türkiye once enjoyed strong ties, Saar placed responsibility for the recent tensions on Ankara.
“In the past, we had very good relations with Türkiye, but over the past decades we have seen them deteriorate. Unfortunately, this was their choice. I will not speculate on the reasons — this is simply a fact,” he said.
Since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Türkiye has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide and later suspended trade with the country.
Emphasizing that diplomatic relations between the two states have existed for decades, Saar argued that the concept of “normalization” is therefore debatable.
Saar also recalled that about a month ago, senior officials from both sides held a meeting aimed at establishing a mechanism that could be useful during times of crisis.
He noted that Azerbaijan previously played a mediating role in this process, but said such contacts have diminished recently.
“I hope we will reach a different and better future in our relations with Türkiye. But this depends entirely on the Turkish side,” Saar said.
Relations between Türkiye and Israel have also been strained by Ankara’s stance on the proposed International Stabilization Force to be deployed in Gaza, with Tel Aviv firmly opposing the participation of Turkish troops.
Meanwhile, Israel on Jan. 26 brought home the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, closing a painful chapter for the country and paving the way for the next — and more challenging — phase of its ceasefire with Hamas.
