Turkey President releases Israeli couple charged with espionage to improve bilateral ties

Israeli couple, who was detained in Turkey for photographing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s palace in Istanbul, has been released, according to the Turkish officials. As per the reports of Israel’s Kan public radio, Turkish officials believe that President Erdogan’s role in negotiating the release of the Israeli couple will help in strengthening bilateral ties with Israel and it may result in ambassadors returning to their respective countries after a three-year absence.

The officials also stated that Turkey wants to strengthen relations and believe that Israel too is interested in the same. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called Erdogan earlier on Thursday to express his gratitude for the couple's release. Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid jointly issued a statement thanking Erdogan for the release, according to Times of Israel. They appreciated Turkey's president and the government's cooperation, and looked forward to welcoming the couple home.

Israeli couple could have been kept in Turkey for a long time

The Israeli couple could have been kept in Turkey for a long time, according to a Turkish official, A Turkish official stated that they were close to detaining the couple for long time, according to Kan. Last Monday, the court ordered them to be imprisoned for another 20 days on suspicion of espionage.

The husband and wife were detained separately, with access to an Israeli lawyer and Israeli consulate officers only on a limited basis. The news raised serious concerns that the couple could spend years in a Turkish prison.

In May 2018, after violent protests on the Gaza border killed over 60 Palestinians, the majority of whom were members of Hamas and other groups, Erdogan blamed Israel, describing it as a "terrorist state" that conducts genocide. The Turkish ambassador was called back, and Israel's ambassador Eitan Na'eh was removed, according to Times of Israel.

Turkey also announced that it would nominate a new ambassador to Israel

However, after years of criticism, Erdogan stated in December 2020 that he wanted to mend ties with Israel. During a press conference, Erdogan declared that their intelligence relations with Israel have not halted in any way, they are still functioning, according to the Times of Israel. Turkey also announced that it would nominate a new ambassador to Israel following the election of US President Joe Biden, in an effort to enhance ties with Washington.

Image: AP