Israel denied Turkish media reports claiming Israel had accepted Ankara’s offer to resume its role as mediator in peace negotiations with Syria.

An official in Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s office told local media that Jerusalem has yet to make a decision on the issue, but described the Turkish reports as a sign that Ankara was keen to improve its relations with Jerusalem.

 

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quoted on the NTV television saying Israel had accepted its offer to mediate talks with Damascus, and that talks could start at any minute.
 

"No decision has been made on resuming talks with Syria under Turkey mediation, but if these remarks represent Turkey's desire to improve relations with Israel and contribute to the advancement of peace in the region, then it is obviously a welcome aspiration," the Israeli official said.
 

On Monday, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Damascus is prepared to resume talks from where they left off a year ago, the London based Al Hayat newspaper quoted him saying. Davutoglu said he was optimistic that talks mediated by Turkey will begin soon.
 

Following Israeli’s military offensive in Gaza, Syria suspended the indirect talks that had taken place between the two countries. Ankara mediated several rounds of indirect talks between Israeli and Syrian officials, but failed to achieve any breakthrough.