U.S. Ambassador: We Expect Turkey and Israel to Normalize Relations Soonest
U.S. Ambassador in Ankara Francis Ricciardone said on Thursday that Turkey and Israel should definitely keep diplomatic channels open.
Ricciardone said the United States expected Turkey and Israel to normalize their relations as soon as possible.
Ricciardone expressed sorrow over recent situation of Turkish-Israeli relations, and said Turkish-Israeli relations were of crucial importance for regional stability.
On May 31, 2010, Israeli commandos raided a humanitarian aid flotilla heading for Gaza, killing nine Turkish nationals one of whom was a U.S. citizen. Turkey said after the attack that it expected Israel to make a formal apology, pay a certain compensation to the families of the victims and to end its blockade over Gaza.
The United Nations established an inquiry panel to examine the incident. The UN panel’s long-awaited “Palmer Report” was handed over to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on September 2.
The report said Israel’s interception of the vessels was “excessive and unreasonable,” while the flotilla acted “recklessly” in attempting to breach the naval blockade. It also said the Israeli naval blockade on Gaza was imposed as a “legitimate security measure” to prevent weapons from entering Gaza by sea.
Recently, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu unveiled a series of decisions concerning Turkish-Israeli relations.
The decisions included downgrading Turkish-Israeli diplomatic ties to the level of a second-secretary, suspension of military agreements, measures pertaining to freedom of navigation in the Eastern Mediterranean and demanding a review of the Israeli blockade over Gaza by the International Court of Justice.
September 8, 2011
SOURCE: HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
