Turkey, which is also a key US ally, has offered to help in growing Western peace efforts, by capitalising on its relationship both with Israel and the Palestinians, as well as its recent rapprochement with Syria.

Olmert's visit comes just days before a three-way summit with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and US Secretary of Condoleezza Rice, although observers have warned against being overly optimistic about the chances of success.

"Israel and Turkey have an important strategic relationship on all levels," said government spokesman Miri Eisin.

"Turkey is a moderate Muslim democracy that has played a very important role in the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Israel wants to expand the role of Turkey on this front," she added.

Israel's arch foe Iran will also feature on the agenda, with Olmert likely to raise the perceived danger to Israel from the Islamic regime's nuclear activities and its calls for the Jewish state to be wiped off the map.

Olmert is due to arrive in Ankara on Wednesday. On Thursday, he is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other senior officials before returning home.

Israel and Turkey, both key regional allies of the United States, share extensive economic and military cooperation.

Ankara believes it is in a position to facilitate peace initiatives in the region, drawing on its close ties with both Israel and the Palestinians as well as the remarkable improvement in its relations with Syria, a former foe.

Turkey is also involved in a project to reopen the Erez industrial zone just inside the Gaza Strip, from which goods would be exported without duty to the European Union, United States and the Gulf, providing 10,000 Palestinian jobs.

Nevertheless controversy over Israel's controversial work near Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, the third-holiest site in world Islam, risks overshadowing the first visit to Turkey by an Israeli prime minister since 2001.

On the eve of Olmert's visit, Erdogan accused Israel of raising regional tensions and said Turkey was "disturbed and upset" over the incident at a time when "new windows of opportunity are being opened in the peace process".

"I would like to openly tell the Israeli government that Al-Aqsa is one of the holiest places for Muslims across the world and that all kinds of undertakings against it will meet with righteous reactions," Erdogan said.

Eisin, however, sought to minimise the controversy. Israel has long insisted that ongoing archaeological excavations and planned repair work pose no threat to the holy sites, revered by Jews and Muslims.

"We will explain that this work will continue and that it is outside the Temple Mount (the Al-Aqsa mosque compound)," she said.

Strengthening trade relations between Israel and Turkey will also be on the agenda, particularly on increasing commerce and tourism, as well as Ankara's possibility of providing energy to Israel, Eisin said.

Israel's national carrier El Al earlier this month announced that from March 1 it would stop all regular flights to Turkey, as well as Cyprus, due to low demand and high security costs.

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