Relationship dossier
Turkey
Israel
Relationship assessment
A history of cooperation has given way to severe tensions over Gaza and the Mavi Marmara raid.
Turkey toward Israel
-60Turkey established military and commercial cooperation with Israel in earlier periods and joined the 2016 reconciliation agreement. After the Gaza war began in 2023, Turkey recalled its ambassador for consultations and, in May 2024, suspended trade with Israel. Turkish government statements have also sharply criticized Israeli policy in Gaza.
Israel toward Turkey
-25Israeli forces' 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara, which killed Turkish citizens, triggered a major rupture in relations. Israel apologized in 2013, and the governments reached a reconciliation agreement in 2016; diplomatic relations were restored at ambassador level in 2022.
Overall relationship
-40The relationship has alternated between concrete military and commercial cooperation and serious political crises. The Mavi Marmara raid and the subsequent rupture were followed by reconciliation and restored ambassador-level ties, but the Gaza war precipitated another severe breakdown, including Turkey's 2024 trade suspension.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Turkey and Israel have had periods of substantial cooperation, including military ties and extensive trade, alongside recurring diplomatic crises. Relations deteriorated sharply after the 2010 Mavi Marmara raid, improved through a 2016 reconciliation and restoration of ambassadors in 2022, then worsened after the Gaza war began in 2023. Turkey recalled its ambassador and suspended bilateral trade in 2024.
Areas of tension
- Israeli policy and military operations in Gaza
- The 2010 Mavi Marmara raid and its aftermath
- Turkey's support for Hamas and Israel's objections to it
- Turkey's 2024 suspension of trade with Israel
Key developments
Israeli forces raided the Mavi Marmara, killing Turkish citizens and causing a major rupture in relations.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkey for operational errors during the Mavi Marmara raid.
The governments agreed to restore relations through a reconciliation agreement.
Turkey and Israel announced the restoration of diplomatic relations at ambassador level.
Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel for consultations amid the Gaza war.
Turkey suspended trade with Israel amid the Gaza war.
Major uncertainties
- The extent to which the 2016 reconciliation arrangements were implemented is unclear.
- The prospects for restoring diplomatic and commercial cooperation remain uncertain.