Turkey appoints new ambassador to Israel after two years: report

• Ufuk Ulutas, 40, is chairman for the Centre for Strategic Research at the Turkish Foreign Ministry
  
• The Newly-appointed envoy is also an expert on Israel’s regional rival, Iran, but is not a career diplomat
  
• In May 2018, Ankara withdrew its envoy over deadly attacks against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip 

Turkey has appointed its new ambassador to Israel after a delay of two years. 

The development is seen as an attempt to improve ties with incoming President-elect Joe Biden’s government,  Al-Monitor  cited sources.

Ufuk Ulutas, 40, is chairman for the Centre for Strategic Research at the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

He is a  political appointee who studied Hebrew and Middle Eastern politics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, read the publication.

The Turkish official is also an expert on Israel’s regional rival, Iran, but is not a career diplomat.

In May 2018, Ankara withdrew its envoy over deadly attacks against Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip which claimed the lives over 60 Palestinian protesters by Israeli forces amid the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has fashioned himself as a standard-bearer of Palestinian rights in the Muslim world, and once-booming relations between Turkey and Israel have steadily deteriorated since his Justice and Development Party (AKP) rose to power in 2002," the report underscored.