Israeli police attacked by Palestinians at holy site

It ends a rift over the Israeli navy’s killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010.

Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds.

Netanyahu assured Israel that “the maritime blockade on the Gaza Strip would remain in place following the deal but that Turkey would be able to send supplies to Gaza via the Israeli port of Ashdod”.

Netanyahu said that while Israel will enable ships to dock at Ashdod and transfer humanitarian and civilian aid to Gaza, the naval blockade of Gaza will not be lifted.

Turkey for its part will block legal claims against Israel over the raid and vowed to clamp down on “military action or fundraising in Turkey”, presumably by Palestinian resistance organisations.

Gaza’s governing authority Hamas has yet to comment on the deal.

Prior to the meeting at the residence of the American ambassador, Kerry said that he had already spoken with Netanyahu about a number of issues, specifically relating to “beating back terrorism” and the challenges Islamic State poses to Israel in the Sinai and in the Golan Heights, and “also the challenge of violence stemming from extremism in Gaza and the West Bank”. The tourism sector in Turkey had already been struggling following a series of deadly terrorist attacks targeting both tourists and security forces, and the loss of Russian visitors left the country reeling.

However, Zionist Union number two Tzipi Livni said she had to admit that she would have signed the same agreement if she had been in the government.

The deal will see the two countries exchange ambassadors “as soon as possible”, Yıldırım said.

Both prime ministers said that the relations between the two countries will now be normalized Netanyahu said the agreement opens the door to very lucrative energy deals with Turkey that will be of extreme importance to the Israeli economy.

Netanyahu insisted it remains “a supreme security interest” of Israel to maintain the almost decade-long blockade, and that there could be no compromise with Turkey on the matter.

On Monday, Erdogan expressed regret for the downing of the plane in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting a key Russian demand for improving ties.

Erdogan, a stout defender of the Palestinian cause, in July 2014 accused Israel of “keeping Hitler’s spirit alive” over its offensive in the Gaza Strip that summer. Addressing the parents of missing Israeli soldiers, Netanyahu said that Israel had not forgotten the soldiers, and would work tirelessly until they are returned home. It calls for increased Turkish investment and aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where access is tightly controlled by Israel.

Erdogan offered condolences to Russia and the family of a downed Russian fighter pilot killed by Turkey, presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Monday.

The family of Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier whose body is being held by Hamas in Gaza, rejected the deal, saying Netanyahu acted in opposition to his promises that the deal would return their son’s body and that of Oron Shaul.