Israel, Turkey Sign Civil Aviation Agreement

DALLAS - As part of a commitment to deepen bilateral ties, Israel and Turkey on Thursday signed a civil aviation agreement that will enable Israeli airlines to restore service to Turkey. The bilateral civil aviation accord is the first agreement of its kind to be inked since 1951.

The Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry, the director of Israel's Civil Aviation Authority, Joel Feldschuh, and the Israeli Transportation Minister Merav Michaeli were all thanked for their contributions to advancing the deal.

Turkish Airlines Cargo TC-JOU Airbus A330-243F. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

Cementing a Trade Relationship

The decision to deepen and broaden bilateral ties was taken by Turkish Foreign Minister avuşolu and Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid during recent meetings in Jerusalem and Ankara.

In terms of trade, Turkey is Israel's fourth-largest trading partner and its fifth-largest export market in 2021.

The Foreign Trade Administration estimates that Israel and Turkey's bilateral trade in commodities and business services totaled $7.7 billion in 2021, an increase of roughly 30% over 2020.

Featured image: 4X-EDE El Al Boeing 787-9. Photo: Tony Bordelais/Airways