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New era in Turkiye-Israel normalization: Decision to appoint ambassadors

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The recent dialogue between Ankara and Tel Aviv aimed at normalizing relations has brought along the decision to bring bilateral relations back to a diplomatic level.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has announced that they have decided to appoint an ambassador to Tel Aviv within the framework of the mutual maximization of diplomatic relations between Turkiye and Israel.

Stressing that a dialogue process with Tel Aviv started with the election of Isaac Herzog as President, Çavuşoğlu said, “The process continued with Herzog’s visit to Turkiye and then my visit to Israel, the visit of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Ankara.”

Announcing the signing of a bilateral cooperation agreement in the field of aviation, Çavuşoğlu said that a Mixed Economic Commission meeting would be held at the beginning of September. Israel also announced in early July that it had decided to reopen its Economic and Trade Office, which it had closed at the time of the deterioration of political relations.

Stressing that Turkiye will not give up the Palestinian cause, Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu said, “We will continue to defend the rights of Palestine, Jerusalem and Gaza”.

President Erdogan had also previously made a statement about the resuming relations: “It will allow us to help our Palestinian brothers.”

The emphases on regional matters drew attention

“Israel and Turkiye will return to full normalization of relations, including reinstating ambassadors and consuls-general,” Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement.

Lapid’s argument that this step would contribute not only to deepening bilateral ties, but to strengthening regional stability drew attention.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also emphasized the improvement of economic relations and mutual tourism in his Turkish tweet by tagging his counterpart Erdogan on his social media account.

Statement of support from the US

The US Embassy has posted a statement of support for the new period in Ankara-Tel Aviv relations. The following message was shared on the social media account of the Embassy:

“U.S. Embassy Ankara welcomes the news that Turkiye and Israel will exchange ambassadors as part of the normalization of relations between the two countries.”

From ‘One minute’ to normalization

In a session at the World Economic Forum held in Davos in early 2009, then Prime Minister Erdogan reacted to the words of former Israeli President Shimon Peres defending the attacks on Gaza with “One minute” outburst and left the session saying, “Davos is over for me.”

Although this outbreak caused a crisis in bilateral relations, the main breakdown occurred after Israel’s Mavi Marmara attack in 2010. After Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship, seeking to break the blockade in Gaza, and killed 9 Turkish citizens, relations were minimized, and diplomatic representation was reduced to the level of charge d ‘affaires.

In 2016, steps were taken to normalize relations and mutual ambassadors were appointed. However, in 2018, Turkiye recalled its ambassador for consultations and asked Israel to take a similar step after Israel opened fire on Palestinians protesting the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, killing 60 people.

The dialogue between the new Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who took office on July 7, 2021, and President Erdogan gave the signals of normalization. Afterwards, during Herzog’s visit to Turkiye on March 9 and 10, steps to improve cooperation were discussed. Herzog became the first Israeli leader to visit Turkiye since 2008.

During a visit to Ankara on June 23 by then Israeli Foreign Minister, current Prime Minister Yair Lapid, a statement was made regarding the upgrading of relations to ambassador level, which have been at the level of charge d ‘affaires since 2018. Çavuşoğlu and Lapid announced their decision to start working on mutually reappointing of ambassadors at a press conference.

There are some elements in the ups and downs of relationship between two countries that are perceived as both crises and opportunities:

The Iran factor

Israel has redeveloped its relations with the Gulf countries, trying to establish a line against Iran, which it regards as an ‘existential threat’ in the region. At a time when Iran is close to a nuclear deal, Israel is looking for new actors to expand its frontline in the region.

Tel Aviv, which seeks to include Turkiye in its strategy to balance Iran in the region, recently claimed that the Iranian secret service is planning attacks against Israeli tourists and officials in Turkiye. Following the assassination of Colonel Hassan Sayyad Khodaei, a senior commander of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the possibility of a “revenge attack” by Iran against Israeli citizens in Turkiye was pointed out.

Turkiye, on the other hand, cooperated with Tel Aviv by conducting operations against some Iranian citizens in line with the intelligence from Israel. Upon this, Israeli President Herzog personally called President Erdogan and thanked him.

While the two countries’ cooperation in the field of intelligence was thought to unsettle Iran, the emphasis on ‘regional stability’ in the leaders’ statements drew attention. It is evident that the cooperation that Turkiye and Israel will develop in the field of military and intelligence will serve Tel Aviv’s strategy of balancing Iran in the region. Therefore, it can be asserted that the Iran factor has an important place in Israel’s desire to get closer to Turkiye.

The Israeli press also reported that both countries “see Iran’s presence in Syria as a threat to their stability” and that they “want to strengthen coordination in Syria.”

Hamas agenda

One of the security issues between Turkiye and Israel is Hamas, one of the Palestinian resistance movements. While Israel designates Hamas as a “terrorist group”, Turkiye denies this.

Last year, Israel announced it required to see Ankara take some steps against the presence of Hamas leaders in Turkiye before starting negotiations on a settlement. Thereupon, the Israeli press claimed that “people identified with Hamas have been deported from Turkiye.” Palestinians living in Turkiye denied the allegations.

It is not certain whether Hamas agenda has come up in the latest talks or whether Israel has made any demands.

The elections factor

On the other hand, elections are approaching in Israel, which have turned into a crisis and will be held for the fifth time in four years.

As Israel’s longest-running prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is being discussed for re-election as Prime Minister on November 1, Lapid, who will race in the election as Prime Minister, is trying to prove his effectiveness and leadership during this period. Therefore, Lapid may consider rapprochement with Turkiye important for his own political future.

Eastern Mediterranean tension

Despite some time of normalization talks between the two countries, tensions are rising in the Eastern Mediterranean. Israel has deepened its cooperation with Greece in recent years, while in the Eastern Mediterranean, it frequently holds trilateral and bilateral exercises with Greece and the United States.

The last of these exercises took place on July 13. The two air forces reportedly conducted training exercises “on coping with various scenarios, advancing both countries’ readiness to fight in multiple scenarios and airborne refueling Greek fighter jets.”

In addition, just before his visit to Turkiye, the Israeli President visited Nicosia on March 2 and met with the leader of the Greek Cypriot administration, Nicos Anastasiades, and pledged to him that “rapprochement with Turkiye would not be at the expense of disrupting its strategic relations with Cyprus.”

Israel is also known to be uncomfortable with Turkiye’s presence in Libya and to see it as a threat to its interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The gas project…

On the other hand, the Israeli press reported that Erdogan was “in an effort to develop a gas pipeline that would deliver Israeli natural gas directly to Turkiye in order to ease Turkiye’s dependence on Russian gas” and “could aim to use restored relations as a stepping stone.”

In addition to bringing gas from Israel and using it in its domestic market, the project of exporting Israeli gas to Europe via Turkiye has been on the agenda for a long time. Although this is an option for Europe, which is experiencing an energy crisis due to sanctions against Russia after the Ukrainian crisis, it is stated that Israeli gas alone will not be enough. There are also various political and economic uncertainties on the subject.

Israel’s plan to build a pipeline to Southern Cyprus and Greece effectively collapsed after the United States withdrew its support for the East-Med Pipeline Project last year. Whether Tel Aviv will engage in this project with Turkiye at the expense of confronting its partners in the Eastern Mediterranean remains a question mark.

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CSTO strips Armenia of voting rights over two-year budget debt

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12/11/2026

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Members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) have stripped Armenia of its voting rights and its ability to appoint representatives to official positions due to a two-year debt to the organization’s budget.

Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “This decision was taken based on the organization’s charter due to Armenia’s failure to fulfil its obligations for several years.”

Prior to the CSTO leaders’ summit in Moscow, Peskov had stated that member states would “react” to the Caucasus country’s non-participation in the organization’s activities.

Ahead of the Moscow summit, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said his country’s “interest has run out” regarding the CSTO. Through his press spokesperson, he announced that he would travel to Türkiye on 11 November to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) instead of going to Russia.

The CSTO leaders’ meeting was held with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin alongside the leaders of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

The leaders jointly took the decision to revoke Armenia’s voting rights.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants also signed a joint declaration.

The declaration stated: “We confirm our unconditional commitment to the goals set out in the CSTO treaty and charter towards creating favourable and stable conditions for the comprehensive development of member states.”

Pashinyan had frozen Yerevan’s de facto participation in the CSTO in February 2024, citing the organization’s failure to aid the Armenian side during the armed clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.

Having referred to the CSTO as a “soap-bubble alliance” since that time, Pashinyan accused the organization’s members of “planning war” together with Baku. He stated that Armenia would not return to active work within the alliance at least “over the next five years”, adding that he would welcome it if the country were expelled from membership.

Relations between Armenia and Russia grew tense once again in the spring of 2026, after Yerevan moved closer to the European Union (EU) and the Kremlin responded with a trade war.

In May, Pashinyan refused to travel to Moscow to attend the Victory Day parade and declared that he did not support Russia on the Ukraine issue.

In response, Putin called on Yerevan to determine its foreign policy course through a referendum, advising Armenian authorities not to forget the fate of Ukraine.

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US urges Russia to draft proposals for new European security pact

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12/11/2026

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The US administration has reportedly called on Russia to submit proposals for a prospective security treaty with Europe that would include measures to ease tensions between European nations and Moscow.

According to a report by news site Axios citing sources familiar with the matter, the US side conveyed the request during trilateral negotiations held in Abu Dhabi.

During the talks, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner suggested that the Russian delegation prepare a fresh proposal outlining its security concerns and demands.

The US delegation reportedly asked that this proposal clarify what kind of “symmetrical steps” Moscow is prepared to take to de-escalate tensions and “provide non-aggression guarantees to Europe”.

Another source familiar with the White House’s approach said the Trump administration aims to run the processes for a new European security architecture and a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine simultaneously.

Under this plan, the actual implementation of the security understandings would take effect only after the signing of an accord ending the conflict in Ukraine.

Assessing the approach to the process, the source said: “[Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy will not agree to any compromise without knowing what will happen next regarding security guarantees. Putin also wants to see the exact same picture clearly. This is precisely why the security portfolio is so decisive.”

The same official noted that the US will not reach a security agreement with Russia without the support of Europe and Ukraine, adding that Washington will not grant Moscow veto power over European security decisions.

Vladimir Medinsky, aide to the Russian president and head of the delegation in the Ukraine negotiations, previously stated that the fundamental objective was building a comprehensive new security system in Europe.

Medinsky noted that the structure in question must take on the character of “a fair, new, modern Yalta and Potsdam that carries the spirit of Helsinki 1975 and responds to contemporary realities”.

The Russian official argued that if such a system were established, peace lasting for decades, or even centuries, could be secured in Europe.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also announced that Moscow possesses its own position paper on how a new security architecture in Eurasia should take shape.

Lavrov stated that Russia hopes the Washington administration will “maintain its determination to pursue dialogue aimed at achieving an honest balance of interests where nobody’s security is impaired”.

Russian authorities have repeatedly stated that the country has no intention of attacking Europe.

Pointing out that they have no reason to fight NATO countries, Russian President Vladimir Putin previously said: “We have no interest whatsoever, neither geopolitical nor economic, political nor military.”

In a statement in October, Putin said Russia has no plans to attack anyone “in 2029, in 2030, or in the year 2050”.

On the other hand, Putin claimed that “all NATO countries are fighting Russia” and stated that the Russian military is currently the most combat-ready armed force in the world.

Following the contacts in Abu Dhabi, Kushner announced that he and Witkoff would travel to Moscow.

Explaining that they plan to meet Putin during the visit to discuss European participation in negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict, Kushner argued that the parties could make “far greater progress” if the Russian leader consents to such involvement.

Yury Ushakov, aide to the Russian president, stated that the US special envoys will arrive in Moscow on 12 November, with the planned meeting with the Russian president scheduled for the first half of the day.

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Vance leads indirect push for US-Iran ceasefire and nuclear talks

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3 days ago

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10/11/2026

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US Vice-President JD Vance has been personally involved over the past two weeks in indirect talks with Iran aimed at securing a fresh ceasefire and restarting nuclear negotiations.

According to Axios, Vance’s intense engagement indicates that he has taken it upon himself to extract the US from the conflict, which he views as responsible for the Republican Party’s shocking losses in this week’s elections.

This elevates the latest round of indirect talks to the highest echelons of the administration.

US officials and regional sources state that Trump is currently willing to let diplomatic efforts run their course to see whether any agreement is achievable.

Asked by reporters on Friday what his message was to Iran, Trump said, “We are talking to them.”

According to sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Vance speaks almost daily with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other mediators regarding the negotiations with Iran.

White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, are also involved in the process.

Sources say Vance and the Qatari and Pakistani mediators have been discussing the possibility of holding a working-level technical meeting between the US and Iran in the coming days, though this has not yet materialized.

Before the war began in late February, Vance was among the most sceptical voices in Trump’s inner circle on the issue, advocating instead for a diplomatic solution.

In April, he led the US negotiating delegation at the Iran summit held in Islamabad and was personally involved in the talks that yielded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between the US and Iran in June.

Vance subsequently headed the US delegation during a series of direct talks with Iran in Switzerland.

Two weeks ago, Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, proposing that direct negotiations resume.

Rezaei is one of the closest advisers to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

Iranian officials noted that Vance’s letter generated positive momentum toward restarting talks.

On Wednesday, Vance said the war was the primary reason for the Republicans’ repudiation at the polls.

Sources involved in mediation efforts report that while progress is being made, the process is moving very slowly.

On Friday evening, the prime minister of Qatar said, “Over the past few weeks, we worked with our colleagues in the US administration who have a sincere intention to contain the situation and de-escalate. Thanks to them and the voices of reason in Tehran, we prevented the situation from spinning out of control.”

The prime minister added that discussions with the Trump administration continued following the midterm elections, though they were not as active as in previous days “because there are other matters.”

Nevertheless, he noted that the US intention to find a diplomatic resolution “remains ongoing” and emphasized that an agreement is possible.

On Friday morning, Trump and the Emir of Qatar discussed Qatari efforts to bridge differences between the US and Iran as part of an accord.

According to a statement from his office, Sheikh Tamim emphasized the necessity of “pursuing dialogue and diplomatic channels to resolve differences, prevent the region from facing further escalation, and ensure freedom of maritime navigation as well as the security of energy supplies.”

Separately, Trump confirmed on Friday that the US military conducted a strike on an anti-aircraft missile launcher on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz after it fired a missile at a US fighter jet.

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