Israel restores ‘positive’ relations with Turkey after apologising for killing nine of its citizens in 2010 raid on Gaza aid flotilla
Worldwide, Daily news | ankakh | March 24, 2013 7:50
Israel has formally apologised to Turkey for killing nine of its citizens in a 2010 naval raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla and both countries have now agreed to normalise relations.
The surprise breakthrough announced by U.S. President Barack Obama, could help efforts to contain spillover from the Syrian civil war and ease Israel’s diplomatic isolation in the Middle East as it faces challenges posed by Iran’s nuclear programme.
In a statement released by the White House only minutes before Obama ended a visit to Israel, the president said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erodgan had spoken by telephone.
‘The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both Turkey and Israel, and we attach great importance to the restoration of positive relations between them in order to advance regional peace and security,’ Obama said.
Eight Turkish nationals and one Turkish-American activist were killed in the violence aboard the Turkish-flagghed passenger ship in May 2010.
Turkey had made an Israeli apology a condition of improving diplomatic ties between the two countries, but Israel had resisted insisting a 2011 report into th3 incident suggested that Israel only need express regret and pay reparations.
Netanyahu and Erdogan ‘agreed to restore normalisation between the two countries, including returning their ambassadors (to their posts),’ the statement added.
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