UPDATE - Türkiye, Israel pledge to further develop cooperation

UPDATE WITH MORE QUOTES FROM TURKISH, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTERS, REVISES DECK

By Merve Aydogan

ANKARA (AA) - Türkiye and Israel will continue efforts to develop cooperation, said the Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday.

In a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen in Ankara, Mevlut Cavusoglu thanked Israel for its support and praised their "serious" support in search and rescue efforts in earthquake-hit Kahramanmaras.

"Israel is one of the first countries that sent support to Türkiye," said Cavusoglu, adding that Israeli search and rescue as well as medical teams immediately came to Türkiye's southern quake-hit regions.

Noting that Israel's teams were some of the "largest" on the ground, Cavusoglu said Israeli rescue workers gave "serious support" to efforts in Kahramanmaras, pulling 19 people from the rubble.

Cavusoglu added that Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation sent 70 tons of aid materials to Türkiye and that additional personnel arrived in Kahramanmaras on Monday.

"Once again, I would like to thank the Israeli government and its people for their solidarity and support during this difficult time," Cavusoglu said.

He also stated that Türkiye is devoting all efforts to heal the wounds of the earthquake with the support of all Turkish institutions and the international community.

On bilateral ties, Cavusoglu said relations between that two states have entered a new phase.

"We have reappointed our ambassadors. They are tirelessly working to develop our relations. High-level visits have been made and continue,” he said.

“We have seen once again today that there is political will on both sides to make the best use of the potential in our relations. Our efforts and consultations will also continue to develop our cooperation on the basis of common interests and mutual respect.”

Cavusoglu also conveyed Türkiye's expectation that Israel will do its part to end rising tensions on the Palestine issue.

"In particular, we stress the importance avoiding steps of expanding illegal settlements and moves that would undermine efforts for a two-state solution," he noted.

Israeli and Palestinian estimates indicate there are about 650,000 settlers living in 164 settlements and 116 outposts in the occupied West Bank.

Under international law, all Jewish settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal.

-‘No precedent’ in 100 years for disaster

For his part, Cohen expressed solidarity and condolences with Türkiye and Turkish people "during these difficult times," saying that Israel "will do all we can to provide aid and comfort those in need."

Cohen also called the powerful earthquakes in southern Türkiye last week "a tragic event which had no precedent in the past century."

Saying that the "two nations have a long history of friendship and cooperation," Cohen said: "Many Jews are proud that they come from Turkey. Thank you for what you're doing for the Jewish community."

"We will continue to strengthen our relations in the days and months ahead. We will develop and advance our bilateral relations in various fields," he added.

Announcing that this week three major Israeli airlines will begin charter flights to Türkiye, Cohen said 800,000 Israeli citizens visited Türkiye in 2022 and that the goal is to increase this number to one million.

Noting that the trade volume between Türkiye and Israel is almost $8 billion, he pledged to increase this further.

Following the joint press conference, Cohen paid his respects to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the Turkish Republic, at his mausoleum.

"My first visit to the Republic of Türkiye and to Anitkabir, as the foreign minister of State of Israel, comes at a time of solidarity in the wake of the disastrous earthquake. It is a sign of our belief in the perpetuity of Ataturk’s solid call for 'peace in the world'," he wrote in the memorial book at Anitkabir.

"On the way he had set as an invaluable example, it is our common duty today, in the centennial of the Republic, to take the pledge to establish strong foundations for an ever better life for our future generations," he added.

On Feb. 6, two massive earthquakes struck southern Türkiye.

The magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 tremors also hit several countries and caused destruction in northern Syria.

Nearly 32,000 people were killed in Türkiye, according to the latest official figures, while the death toll in Syria topped 3,600.