Israeli Energy Minister Steinitz is set to pay the first ministerial meeting to Turkey in six years as the two countries seek to realize a natural gas project to offer Israeli gas to the European market.
Steinitz arrived in Istanbul in the morning and was holding talks with Turkish Energy Minister Berat Albayrak, who is also President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's son-in-law, an embassy official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
The relationship between the two countries plunged to an all time low after the Israeli commandos' raid on the Gaza-bound ship that killed 10 Turks, prompting Ankara to expel the Israeli ambassador and freeze all defense ties.