JERUSALEM, Dec. 9 (JTA) — Israeli Defense Minister Yitzhak Mordechai’s historic visit to Turkey may lead to more sales of Israeli military craft to Ankara. The two countries signed several military cooperation agreements last year, and more moves were discussed this week during Mordechai’s three-day visit, which began Monday — a day after foreign ministers attending an Islamic summit in Tehran passed a resolution calling on Arab states to reconsider their relations with Israel. Turkey has come under sharp attack from Syria, Iraq and other Arab states for its defense pacts with Israel. Israeli and Turkish leaders have stressed that their cooperation agreements should not be interpreted as being directed against any country. Under already signed agreements, Israel has a $630 million contract to upgrade Turkey’s F-4 jets and is allowed to fly its air force planes over Turkish air space. Among the deals now under discussion, Israel may sell Ankara its Merkava tanks and may upgrade Turkey’s F-5 jets. Turkey is also reportedly interested in acquiring anti-missile missiles from the Jewish state. During his visit, which included meetings with Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Mordechai discussed holding early next year joint Mediterranean naval exercises that would also involve the United States. Mordechai’s visit, the first by an Israeli defense minister, came as a follow-up to last May’s visit to Israel by his Turkish counterpart, Ismet Sezgin.
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