The israeli airlines will resume direct flights to Turkey in a sign of the continued improvement in bilateral relations, said today Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohenpredicting a 25% increase in tourism this year.

The first such flight will depart the day after tomorrow, Thursday, Cohen told reporters during what he described as a solidarity visit to Turkey.

An Israeli official said the flights were resuming as part of an airline security deal reached last year as the two countries rebuild relations strained by disputes over Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians.

“I would like to inform you that Israeli flights will resume two days from now and that all three major airlines in Israel will resume their flights to Turkey,” Cohen noted.

“We will certainly rekindle the important relations between your important and beautiful country and Israel,” he added, predicting that one million Israelis will visit Turkey in 2023, more than the 800,000 who traveled last year on foreign airlines.