Erdogan Orders Resumption Of Ties With Israel Following Apology

Erdogan Orders Resumption Of Ties With Israel Following Apology

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister received a call from the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, who apologized for the death of Turkish citizens in 2010. Following the apology, Turkey resumed diplomatic relations with Israel.

President Barack Obama brokered the end of a diplomatic freeze between Israel and Turkey that lasted for three years.

The apology made by Netanyahu to Erdogan was in connection to the deaths of Turkish citizens, who were part of a flotilla that tried to break through the naval blockade Israel placed on Gaza.

The nine activists from Turkey were on board the Mavi Marmara, which was boarded by Israeli Defense Forces. Following the incident, claims were made by both Israel and Turkey. Turkey indicated that excessive force was used by the IDF while the boat was in international waters. On the other hand, Israel indicted that the soldiers acted in self-defense after they were ambushed as they went aboard the boat.

After the apology was given by Netanyahu to Erdogan, Turkey immediately announced that it will resume full diplomatic relations with Israel. The phone call was made as President Barack Obama was on his way to Jordan from Tel Aviv. The US president was on a 3-day visit to the West Bank and Israel.

Obama may have emphasized the importance of ending the diplomatic freeze between the two countries when he was in Israel to meet Netanyahu.

With the end of the diplomatic freeze, Israel and Turkey can coordinate with each other on any eventualities in case the civil war in Syria takes a turn for the worse. The two countries may have to prepare for the possible increase in the number of refugees and the possibility that chemical weapons may be used.

The office of Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that the prime minister apologized to the general public of Turkey for any mistakes that resulted to the loss of life. He also agreed to an arrangement that will compensate the victims’ families.

In return, Prime Minister Erdogan indicated that all legal actions set to be filed against the IDF will be dropped by Turkey.

Posted by James Fried on Sunday March 24 2013, 5:14 AM EDT. Ref: The Australian. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0