Israel and Turkey have signed a bilateral aviation agreement paving the way for Israeli carriers to fly to various destinations in Turkey, the Israeli Ministry of Transport said in a statement.

According to the ministry, the agreement is the first one signed between the two countries since 1951.

The agreement is expected to lead to the resumption of flights by Israeli companies to various destinations in Turkey, along with flights by Turkish companies to Israel, the ministry said in a statement.

The heads of civil aviation authorities of both countries signed a preliminary agreement today, paving the way for the signing of a full agreement later this year.

Turkey continues to be one of the most popular destinations for Israeli tourists despite security threats.

Turkish and Israeli officials have met several times over the past few months, including Yair Lapid's visit to Ankara last month before he was formally sworn in as prime minister, where he met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.