Irit Lillian, a senior diplomat who has played a key role in Israel-Turkiye reconciliation, will serve as the next ambassador to Turkiye, the Foreign Ministry announced Monday, according to the Times of Israel.

Lillian has been Israel’s charge d’affaires in Ankara since February 2021, during which time both sides have moved slowly to restore full diplomatic relations.

There has not been an ambassador in the country since 2018, when Turkiye recalled its ambassador and asked Israel’s to leave in protest of Israel’s response to rioting on the Gaza border, in which dozens of Palestinians were killed.

Last month, the two sides announced that they would be restoring full diplomatic ties after two years of gradual rapprochement, which picked up pace noticeably this year with mutual visits by senior officials.

Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency