President Tayyip Erdogan said Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may visit Turkey in October or November, adding that he would reciprocate the visit after, media outlets reported.He spoke on his way back from a visit to Azerbaijan after meeting Netanyahu met for the first time in person last week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, as the regional powers work to repair long-strained ties. As part of the warming ties between the two countries Erdogan had hosted President Isaac Herzog in May 2022 in Ankara, and met with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid in New York last fall. That latter meeting was his first with an Israeli Prime Minister since 2008.
Netanyahu had planned to visit Turkey in the summer but canceled for health reasons.Following the General Assembly, Erdogan said Israel and Turkey would soon take steps in energy drilling a topic he raised against on his trip back from Azerbaijan according to media reports.
Turkey to benefit from Israeli gas
Israel has already held conversations with Cyprus and Greece about regional gas projects and Turkey wants to benefit from Israel’s natural gas deals as well.
Erdogan has focused on energy projects. While in Azerbaijan he attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a natural gas pipeline between the two countries.