Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 16
By Orkhan Quluzade – Trend:
Turkey has appointed Kemal Okem as its ambassador to Israel, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, TRT Haber reports.
Okem was serving as foreign policy advisor to the Turkish prime minister.
Israel earlier appointed Eitan Na’eh as its ambassador to Turkey.
Both appointments come following the normalization of relations between the two countries.
Relations between Israel and Turkey worsened after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one flying Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed as a result.
Turkey signed an agreement with Israel on mending the relations on June 28. Israel paid Turkey a compensation of $20 million for the Freedom Flotilla incident Sept. 30.