Israel and Turkey reach ‘agreement’ to normalize diplomatic ties

Many sympathize with calls by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas for Israel’s destruction.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told reporters on December 9: “If the Israeli side takes steps in this regard, we, of course, will take the necessary steps in accordance”.

“No final agreement was reached during the talks between Turkey and Israel but the talks continue in a positive way”, they added.

Turkey also agreed that it will no longer allow entry to a senior operative from the military wing of the Hamas Islamic movement that controls Gaza, the Israeli official said.

Israel and Turkey are on the verge of a diplomatic reconciliation that will pave the way for a full-fledged restoration of normalized ties that predated the infamous Marmara incident of 2010, Channel 10 reported on Thursday.

The deal was reached during a recent meeting in Switzerland between the incoming head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, Yossi Cohen, Israeli envoy Joseph Ciechanover and at the Turkish foreign ministry under secretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Under the plan, Israel will establish a fund to compensate the families of victims of the commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, which was attempting to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

Talks on compensation began in 2013 after Israel extended a formal apology to Turkey in a breakthrough brokered by US President Barack Obama but had not been finalised. He withdrew Turkey’s ambassador to Israel and cancelled joint military exercises. He did not say where Aruori was now located. In addition, Ankara has agreed in principle to immediately purchase natural gas from Israel.

In 2010, six civilian ships in a humanitarian aid flotilla were attacked in global waters by Israeli forces.

A campaign of stabbings, shootings and car-rammings by Palestinians has killed 19 Israelis and a USA citizen since October.