Netanyahu lauds benefits of normalizing ties with Turkey

Turkey announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel on Monday after a six-year rupture and expressed regret to Russian Federation over the downing of a warplane, seeking to mend strained alliances and ease a sense of isolation on the world stage. The mending in relations between the once-firm allies after years of negotiations raises the prospect of eventual cooperation to exploit natural gas reserves worth hundreds of billions of dollars under the eastern Mediterranean, officials have said.

 A stumbling block to the deal being reached was thought to be Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

 As part of the agreement, Israel will send $20 million to those injured or bereaved by the 2010 raid.

Just in April a spokesman for Turkish President Erdogan said that any formal reconciliation between Turkey and Israel is impossible without the lifting of the siege on Gaza.

“I don’t see any reason to retract my opposition, unless there are changes that I am unaware of”, Liberman said.

The agreement is expected to be approved by Israel’s security cabinet on Wednesday.

Another minister, who was not named in press accounts. reportedly also criticized the deal. “That was the mission”, Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. “He’s turned us into a rubber stamp”.

Six years of strained relations between Turkey and Israel due to a fatal raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla by the latter appear to have to come to an end following the announcement of a deal by the prime ministers of both countries.

“With this deal, the process of returning ties to normal has begun”, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in Ankara.

Ankara has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out military activities against Israel from Turkish territory, “including fundraising for such purposes”, Netanyahu said.

“This is a supreme security interest for us”. I was not willing to compromise on it. Israel says the measures are needed to prevent Hamas from importing weapons. Turkey will build infrastructure projects in Gaza – a hospital and desalination plant were mentioned – which will alleviate some pressure on Israel to spend its money on those tasks.

Mr Yildirim said the two countries would appoint ambassadors as soon as possible after the agreement is signed on Tuesday.

Netanyahu also said the deal would give a big boost to the Israeli economy by opening the key Turkish market to Israeli natural gas exports and by providing a gateway to the European market as well.

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

Netanyahu, meanwhile, dismissed criticism by political opponents who decried the paying of compensation to attackers of IDF soldiers as a national humiliation.

“Our vital interests are advanced by this deal”, he said. “But this agreement strengthens Israel”. Every move was also coordinated with the United States, he said.

The reconciliation is as much driven by economics as politics.

Agencies and Raphael Ahren contributed to his report.