Turkey picks up new ambassador to Israel after two years

Government of Turkey has on Monday reportedly appointed a new ambassador to Israel to fill the diplomatic post left vacant for over two years.

After a hiatus of two years, Turkey has appointed its new envoy, Ufuk Ulutas to Israel.

Ufuk, 40, formerly studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The chairman for the Center for Strategic Research at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ulutas is not a career diplomat but “very polished,” “very clever” and “very pro-Palestinian,” said an al-Monitor report report, which quoted “well-placed sources.”

Ulutas’ appointment also comes as a number of Arab countries – Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates – agreed to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel in deals brokered by outgoing US President Trump.

The Palestinian leadership has slammed the deals as grave betrayals by the Arab states that further undermine Palestinian efforts to achieve self-determination.

In May 2018, Ankara withdrew its envoy over deadly attacks against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip who were protesting US President Donald Trump’s decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had often exchanged angry remarks, with a war of words reaching a boiling point about two years ago.

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