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         Source: Turkish, Israeli Diplomats Explore Hopes for Relations

   by Reuters

   Israel held unannounced diplomatic-level talks with Turkey on Monday to
   explore prospects, after Turkish polls, of restoring an alliance that
   was once central to U.S. Middle East policy but has soured dramatically
   under Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

   The Islamist-rooted AK Party founded by Erdogan, who accused Israel
   last year of having "surpassed Hitler in barbarism" through attacks on
   Palestinian territories, lost its overall majority in a June 7 vote for
   the first time since taking power in 2002. It must now seek a coalition
   partners for government.

   Erdogan's years in full control of foreign and domestic policy saw
   virtual collapse of what had been Israel's closest alliance with a
   Muslim state, encompassing the military and intelligence sectors. The
   killing of 10 pro-Palestinian Turks by Israeli commandos on a ship that
   tried to break its Gaza blockade in 2010 marked a low point.

   An Israeli official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Dore
   Gold, a Netanyahu confidant who was named director-general of Israel's
   Foreign Ministry last month, had met his counterpart Feridun
   Sinirlioglu in Rome on Monday.

   Shift?

   The official said it was too early to judge whether the meeting
   signaled an acceleration of reconciliation efforts.

   "Certainly there is a sense that the situation in Turkey has shifted
   after the election," the official said, referring to the AKP's recent
   setback in parliament that has shaken Erdogan's standing and undermined
   his plans for a powerful presidency.

   "But time will tell whether the new government there takes a more
   accommodating line on Israel than Erdogan."

   A spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry confirmed Gold had been in
   Rome but would not comment on any meetings held there.

   Officials at Turkey's Foreign Ministry declined to comment.

   Efforts to reconcile Turkey and Israel, including in a 2013 phone call
   between Erdogan and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that was brokered
   by U.S. President Barack Obama, have yet to yield a final deal
   restoring full diplomatic ties.

   The channel between Israel and Turkey, which borders Iraq, Iran and
   Syria, was long seen as a key element in U.S. policy in the region.
   With the rise of Islamic State and the complexities of relations with
   Iran it retains importance for Washington.

   It remains unclear what effect the outcome of the election will have on
   Erdogan's influence on foreign policy. But his failure to achieve a
   majority to change the constitution and increase the powers of the
   largely figurehead presidency he holds could weaken his hold.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-turkey-israel-relations/2833744.html