Israel’s President Isaac Herzog thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his country’s efforts in thwarting terror attacks against Israelis in Istanbul amid fears over Iranian intentions to attack Israelis in Turkey.
Israel’s National Security Council last week raised its warning on travel to Istanbul to Level 4, the highest level, citing concerns about possible Iranian-backed attacks against Israelis in Turkey, especially Istanbul. The security council called on Israelis currently in the city to leave as soon as possible and warned against visiting Turkey until further notice.
Herzog said he spoke with Erdogan by phone on Sunday “against the backdrop of intentions to perpetrate terror attacks against Israelis in Istanbul.”
“I thanked him for the efforts to thwart terrorist activities on Turkish soil,” Herzog said in a message on Twitter. “I emphasized that the threat has not yet passed.”
“Our cooperation makes a great contribution to the trust being built between our countries’ governments and peoples,” Herzog said. “We agreed to continue working for peace and stability in our region by means of open and ongoing dialogue.”
Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is expected to visit Turkey on Thursday for talks, Turkey’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Israel last month as the once close military allies worked to overcome years of tensions.
