Istanbul: After a four-year hiatus, Turkey has appointed an ambassador to Israel in the most recent step towards improving relations with the Jewish state.

Turkish media reported that Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, a veteran diplomat who previously served as Turkey's consul general in Jerusalem between 2010 and 2014, was appointed to the position late Friday.

In May 2018, Ankara recalled its ambassador to Israel and expelled the Israeli envoy to protest the killing of several Palestinians by the Israeli military.

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By returning the Turkish consul in Jerusalem, Israel retaliated.
Relations between them deteriorated after Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized Israel's previous governments, led by its new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.

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However, Erdogan wrote a congratulatory letter to Netanyahu after Netanyahu won the election earlier this month.

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