Turkey wants Israel to continue certain policies such as not allowing new settlements and preserving the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque until the country's Nov. 1 elections, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in a phone call on Sunday.
Lapid called Erdoğan to extend his greetings on the Muslim celebration of Qurban Bayram or Eid al-Adha. During the call, the two leaders also exchanged views on bilateral and regional issues, according to a statement by Turkey's Communications Directorate.
Erdoğan congratulated Lapid on recently assuming the office of prime minister. Lapid, formerly the foreign minister, took over the role from Naftali Bennett who announced he was stepping down last month.
The call comes as Turkey and Israel have been trying to turn a new page and placing an emphasis on restoring diplomatic ties that have been strained for more than a decade.
