President Isaac Herzog and his wife Michal were set to embark on a visit to Turkey on Wednesday, marking the first official visit by an Israeli president to Anakaa since 2008.
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The one-day visit is seen as an opportunity for rapprochement between the two countries in a time the Middle East is facing a variety of new challenges.
Relations between Israel and Turkey, once close regional allies, crumbled in 2010, following the deadly raid on the Marmara flotilla, which attempted to breach the maritime blockade of the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Hamas terrorist group. In June 2016, the two countries said they would normalize relations, a move driven by the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals as well as mutual fears over security risks in the Middle East, but diplomatic ties remain frosty, at best.
Herzog took office on July 7 and Turkish President Recep Tayyip was among the first world leaders to offer his congratulations.
Herzog's visit, which according to his office has been coordinated with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, will see the two presidents discuss a host of issues, including "various bilateral issues, including Israel-Turkey relations and the potential for expanding collaboration between their respective states and peoples in various fields," the president's office said in a statement Tuesday.
According to Turkish media, the subject to the natural gas pipeline from Israel to Europe is expected to dominate the talks, alongside various security issues.
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