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10 Apr, 12:48

Israel confirms holding direct talks with Turkey in Azerbaijan

The Jewish side expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for organizing the meeting

TEL AVIV, April 10. /TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has confirmed that it held direct talks with Turkey’s representatives in Azerbaijan.

The Jewish side expressed gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev for organizing the meeting.

"On Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s instructions, a military-political delegation led by the head of the [Israeli] National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, as well as Defense Ministry representatives and security officials, met with Turkish counterparts yesterday (April 9 — TASS)," the office said in a statement.

During the meeting, "the parties outlined their interests in the region," the office stated. "They agreed to continue the dialogue in order to maintain regional stability," the statement added. "Israel thanks Azerbaijan and its President Ilham Aliyev for organizing these important negotiations," the prime minister's office noted.

Relations between Israel and Turkey sharply deteriorated after the conflict in the Gaza Strip escalated in 2023, and further worsened following the change of power in Syria in late 2024.

On April 8, Netanyahu, summarizing his second visit to Washington in two months, stated that his country would oppose the establishment of Turkish military bases in Syria. At the same time, he suggested that US President Donald Trump could mediate disputes between the Turkish and Israeli sides.

In response, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on April 9 that Ankara does not intend to engage in conflict with anyone, including Israel, on Syrian territory. However, he called unacceptable Israel’s actions in Syria, where the Israeli Air Force continues to carry out strikes on military targets. Fidan added that Turkey is cooperating with the new Syrian authorities on a range of issues, including security matters.