'Anti-Israel talk was for political reasons': Turkey looking to improve relations with Israel

While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been attacking Israel since the war in Gaza began, he actually wants to improve diplomatic relations with Israel, Maariv reported on Tuesday.

Last week, the deputy ambassador for Turkey in Israel was summoned by Foreign Minister Israel Katz after Erdogan said that "[Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his administration, with their crimes against humanity in Gaza, are writing their names next to Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, like today’s Nazis."

Erdogan also said that he would "send Netanyahu to Allah."

During the dressing down of the Turkish deputy ambassador, the diplomat told Jacob Blitstein, the director general of the Foreign Ministry, that "Erdogan's harsh rhetoric against Israel stems from Erdogan's political considerations in the local elections in Turkey."

The deputy ambassador added that, after the elections, Turkey wants to start improving relations with Israel, including by bringing back the Israeli ambassador who was called back to Israel at the beginning of the war, as well as returning Turkey's ambassador to Israel.

Erdogan suffers crushing defeat in local elections

Erdogan's AK Party suffered its worst defeat in over 20 years in local elections throughout Turkey on Sunday, with the Republican People's Party (CHP) sweeping most major cities.

Analysts said voters lost patience with both a cost-of-living crisis driven by near 70% inflation and Erdogan's divisive political style.

The result bruised his hopes of adopting a new constitution, which could potentially extend his rule beyond 2028 when his term ends, they said. Though AKP and its allies have a majority in parliament, Erdogan would need broader support or a successful referendum for a new constitution.

Erdogan delivered a somber and introspective speech in the early hours of Monday. "This is not an end for us, but actually a turning point," he said, acknowledging a "loss of altitude" for the AKP.

"If we made a mistake, we will fix it," he told crowds gathered at AKP headquarters in Ankara, without indicating what changes he might make within his party or in policy.

In response, Turkish stocks rose and the lira - which has shed more than 80% of its value in five years - touched another record low versus the dollar on a holiday for many world financial markets.

The CHP - the party of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk - won near 38% support nationwide, more than two points ahead of the AKP and shattering the ceiling of 25% support it has had this century.

Katz mocked Erdogan after the sweeping defeat, posting on X: "Defeat for Erdogan's candidates in the local elections in Turkey. Congratulations to the winners Ekrem Imamoglu in Istanbul, and Mansur Yavas in Ankara, and a clear message to Erdogan - the incitement against Israel is no longer working."