Israel and Turkey will restore full diplomatic ties and will re-appoint respective ambassadors, said Turkish and Israeli officials. The restoration follows years of strained relations between the two Mediterranean nations, writes France24.

Turkey and Israel expelled respective ambassadors in 2018 over the killing of 60 Palestinians by Israeli forces during protests on the Gaza border against the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

But they have been working to mend long-strained ties with energy emerging as a key area for potential cooperation.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s office said on Wednesday the two countries decided to restore full diplomatic ties.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the decision to restore diplomatic relations with Israel did not mean that Ankara would abandon its support for Palestinians. As he added, the decision will allow mostly Muslim, but officially secular Turkey to lobby for Palestinian interests in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem.

The return of ambassadors “is important to improving bilateral ties”, Cavusoglu said, adding: “As we have always said, we will continue to defend the rights of Palestinians”.