Israel resumes cargo flights to Turkey after a decade-long pause

Israel’s flag carrier completed its first cargo flight to Turkey in 10 years on Sunday, the latest sign of a thaw in ties between the two nations.

An El-Al plane landed in Istanbul on Sunday, the Israeli embassy in Turkey said on Twitter, adding that flights between Tel Aviv and Istanbul will help trade volumes between the nations reach “record levels.”

In April, Turkey started supplying medical equipment to Israel to help it fight the coronavirus outbreak, an unexpected display of solidarity that has paved the way for an improvement in strained relations between the once-strategic allies.

Turkey was Israel’s closest partner in the Muslim world, and their armies had strong ties, but relations between the two countries deteriorated sharply in 2010 when a Turkish flotilla bound for the Hamas-run Gaza Strip was raided by Israeli commandos, resulting in the deaths of 10 civilians.

In response, Turkey expelled Israel’s ambassador, recalled its own envoy and pulled out of joint war games. While Israeli military sales to Turkey were halted, other trade ties proved resilient.