Turkey Approves Reconciliation Agreement with Israel

Turkey’s Parliament approved a reconciliation deal with Israel on Saturday, a move that is likely to repair the broken relations between the two countries following an Israeli attacked a Turkish ship in 2010.

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In May 2010 diplomatic ties broke down, with Turkey recalling its ambassador to Israel after the so-called “Gaza flotilla incident.” Israeli troops stormed a Turkish ship in the Mediterranean Sea killing 10 on board. Turkish ships were carrying a number of pro-Palestinian activists.

At the time of the incident, Israel claimed they were enforcing their naval blockade in the region against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, arguing that the blockade stops supplies getting into the Hamas-controlled region. There have been numerous international legal disputes over the incident.

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Israeli still enforces the blockade as well as a number of other harsh collective policies against Palestinians. Israel’s oppression of Palestine has been internationally condemned for numerous human rights abuses. Turkey has opposed the gaza blockade and at the time of the incident wanted to the blockade to end.

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Israel has since offered an apology to Turkey over the incident and under the reconciliation deal will pay Turkey US$20 million to the families of those killed and wounded.

Both countries are expected to reappoint respective ambassadors and Turkey has agreed to stop any legal proceedings from the incident. The deal will also allow Turkey to help humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip, but will have to send all aid to Gaza through Israel.

The deal also stipulated new ties to help fight terrorism. Turkey was recently accused in a leaked German document of being a hotbed for Islamic terrorist organizations, claims Turkish officials have rejected and condemned.

Since last month’s failed coup, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has tightened his grip on power purging thousands of anti-government supporters.