Contacts became more intense after Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian warplane last month, prompting economic sanctions from Moscow, the officials said. Normalized relations would allow Turkey to import natural gas from Israel, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity because reconciliation talks are confidential.
Turkey’s outreach to Israel is proceeding in tandem with negotiations between Turkish and Greek Cypriots to reunify the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, whose north is occupied by the Turkish military. A solution to both conflicts would allow Turkey to buy gas from both Israel and Cyprus, thereby diversifying supply and bringing it a step closer to its long-held dream of becoming an energy hub between East and West, one official said.
One Turkish official said reconciliation might follow a possible deal on the reunification of Cyprus in the spring. The other said a compromise may be reached “surprisingly quickly” in the coming months.
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