UPDATE - High-level Turkish delegation visits West Jerusalem, meets with Israeli officials

UPDATES WITH INTERVIEW WITH HEAD OF TURKISH DELEGATION; CORRECTS HEADLINE

ANKARA (AA) - A high-level Turkish delegation arrived in Israel on Thursday to meet with Israeli officials ahead of a visit expected next month by Israel’s president to Turkiye, according to official statements.

A Turkish delegation led by Ibrahim Kalin, presidential spokesperson and senior adviser to the president, held meetings with Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz and Eyal Shuiki, the Israeli president's director-general, said an Israeli press release.

The statement said that the parties discussed preparations for the visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Turkiye, bilateral ties between the two countries, as well as various regional issues.

The Turkish delegation's visit to Israel came a day after a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories where they met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other Palestinian officials.

The Turkish delegation began a two-day visit to Palestine and Israel on Wednesday.

In steps towards a thaw in relations with Israel, Turkish officials have stressed that Turkiye’s support for the Palestinian cause and a two-state solution remains as strong as ever.

The trip comes ahead of an expected visit to Turkiye by Israeli President Isaac Herzog in March, as recently announced by Turkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Following meeting with Israeli and Palestinian officials, Kalin told Anadolu Agency: "We believe the steps we take from now on, with both the Palestinian and Israeli sides, will contribute significantly to the resolution of the Palestinian issue, to the advancement of the Middle East peace process, and to ensuring regional peace and stability and security for all parties and actors."

- Sustainable relations

"We had the opportunity to evaluate the bilateral dimension of Turkiye-Israel relations from different aspects," Kalin said on the delegation's meetings with Israeli officials.

He went on to say: "Of course, we also discussed the Palestinian issue. Here, we had the opportunity to convey our sensitivity on Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque to the Israeli side."

He said they also discussed regional developments in the Gulf, Syria, and Ukraine with the Israeli officials, adding that President Isaac Herzog also attended part of the meeting and discussed the main topics of his upcoming visit to Turkiye in March.

On a question on probability of a return visit by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Israel, Kalin said: "It is envisaged that all of these issues will be realized step by step in a way that will ensure a sustainable relationship."

He added: "We plan to take these steps mutually within the strategic framework drawn by our president. Mutual visits, appointment of ambassadors, and joint work in other fields will be discussed."

- Two-state solution

Kalin underlined that a sovereign Palestine for Palestinians would help ensure a long-term sustainable environment of peace and stability for the entire region, including Israel.

"We hope that new steps will be taken in this direction. Our efforts will be in this direction. These will be one of the main topics of our future talks with Israel," he added.

Many issues, such as bilateral relations, the Palestinian issue, regional matters, and the activities of Turkish institutions and non-governmental organizations are on the agenda between Turkiye and Israel, he said.

Touching on the delegation's meeting with Palestinian President Abbas and other Palestinian officials, Kalin said Turkiye attaches great importance to the Palestinian side's sensitivities.

"In particular, taking constructive steps towards the solution of the Palestinian problem is of great importance in terms of ensuring regional peace and stability," he said.

The Turkish delegation discussed what could be done on multilateral platforms for the realization of the two-state solution with Abbas, he added.