JERUSALEM, March 15 (Xinhua) — Israeli army chief headed for Turkey Monday morning for a one-day visit amid tension between the two countries.
Gabi Ashkenazi, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of the general staff, is scheduled to take part in a NATO conference on terrorism and international cooperation, and hold a meeting with his Turkish counterpart during the trip, IDF said in a statement.
It is the first time in five years that an Israeli army chief has visited Turkey, according to the statement.
The once close ties between Israel and Turkey were strained after the Jewish state launched a massive attack at the Gaza Strip at the end of 2008.
Turkish military cancelled a joint air force drill with Israel last October due to the offensive.
The relation hit a freezing point when Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel Ayalon in January humiliated Turkish ambassador to Israel by deny the latter a handshake and sitting him on a lower chair at a meeting.
An IDF spokesperson told Israeli army radio on Monday that Ashkenazi’s visit “is on the military-strategic level, not a diplomatic level.”
xinhua net