Both countries expelled their ambassadors in May 2018 over the killing of dozens of Palestinians by Israeli forces along the Gaza border and following Washington's decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.
In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country would like to have better ties with Israel but Israeli policy toward the Palestinians remained "unacceptable." For Turkey, Palestine still constitutes Turkey’s red line and that it was impossible for Ankara to accept Israel’s “merciless” policies regarding the Palestinian territories.
Turkey and Israel, once allies, have had a bitter falling out in recent years. Ankara repeatedly has condemned Israel's occupation of the West Bank and its treatment of Palestinians.
Next month, there will be an election in Israel. Prior to that nothing shall be expected. But there are constructive signals coming from both sides. If Netanyahu will lose the power, it will be even much easier for Turkey to re-establish the relations.
According to Israel, its normalization relations with UAE and Saudi Arabia helped Israel the upper hand in negotiating with Turkey toward improving diplomatic relations. According to Israelis, Turkey does not want to be isolated from the changes in its surroundings. By end of January 2021, an Israeli passenger plane landed down at Istanbul Airport signaling that a thaw in relations is underway.
For Turkey, it is not about the changes in the region. Turkish-US relations are also very fragile and needs to be strengthened. Moreover, Turkish economy is very fragile. Erdogan needs foreign investors. Erdogan might consider to use Israeli influence on the Congress to decrease the diplomatic pressure which would yield diverting foreign investment to Turkey, again.
The regional changes and economic crisis in Turkey compels Erdogan to revise Turkish foreign policy. However, not much shall be expected. Turkey would not give up its Mediterranean maritime rights as well as its policy in Libya and Syria which contradicts with Israel and its coalition partners position.
