Jerusalem – Israel has reached a reconciliation deal with Turkey to end a bitter six-year rift between the Mideast powers, an official said Sunday.
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Relations between the former close allies imploded in 2010 following an Israeli naval raid that killed nine Turkish activists, including a dual American citizen, who were on a ship trying to breach Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and greatly scaled back military and economy ties. But relations were never broken completely.
Turkey’s move toward rapprochement with Israel comes amid its deepening isolation in the region following a breakdown of ties with Russia and Egypt as well as the turmoil in neighboring Syria.
The Israeli official confirmed the details of the agreement on Sunday. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit to Rome, is expected to announce details on Monday, and the two sides plan to sign the agreement on Tuesday. Turkey’s new prime minister, Binali Yildirim, was also scheduled to make an announcement in Ankara.
The Israeli official said the impending deal would include $20 million in Israeli compensation for families of those killed in the raid, an end to all Turkish claims against Israeli military personnel and the state of Israel over the raid, and the mutual restoration of ambassadors.
A senior Turkish official said that under the agreement, Turkey would deliver “humanitarian aid and other non-military products” to Gaza and engage in infrastructure investments, including the construction of residential buildings and the completion of a 200-bed hospital.
Turkey would also be involved in projects addressing energy and water shortages in Gaza, the official said, adding that “the amount of electricity and drinking water to Gaza residents will increase and new power plants will be constructed.”
The official, who cannot be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the deal, said the agreement did not make any reference to Turkey’s ties to Hamas, saying “Turkey will continue supporting the Palestinian state and the people of Palestine.” The militant Islamic group Hamas controls Gaza.
The Israeli official said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to a separate document instructing all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel’s missing citizens, apparently referring to the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war which are believed to be held by Hamas. An Israeli of Ethiopian descent and a Bedouin from Israel’s Arab minority are also believed to be held in Gaza.
Families of the soldiers had urged the government to hold off on any reconciliation deal until their plight is addressed. Relatives of one of the soldiers, Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, set up a protest tent outside Netanyahu’s official residence in Jerusalem.
They will keep on hating and provoking Israel whist the Israels continue to apologize for their existence. The are the same minded leaders who were embarrassed by the ‘sabonim’ actually Tzaddikim, Kedoshim who were killed in the holocaust. These ‘new’ jews vowed to be different, to have Jewish power and not step down to non-jewish aggresion. Turns out these very Jews whom Gd has equipped with the ability to protect Jewish blood for the first time in thousands of years, lacks the Jewish pride and backbone to do just that. They are more concerned and scared what will the nations say over precious Jewish blood. So tragically ironic. The only way the Jewish people can be led safely is by believing in Hashem following thr dictates of the Torah. No other way. We have seen the results of not (yet) frum yidden leading the Jews. People who are ‘smart’ enough to argue with Torah and something that’s logical to anyone who has an iq over 20 coupled with healthy humble not overbloated ego, that when someone comes to kill you, you pre-emptively kill them first.They keep crying out to the world, but we are a democracy. Will never help stop the nations from hating upon the Jewsih nation.
A joke. The Israelis sure know how to make deals, by giving in to their enemies pacifying them more and more, enabling the monsters to grow more and more hateful and emboldened. Zero backbone.
Zionists have short memories and disgrace their own soldiers daily and now to make it worse they wil use tax dollars to compensate terrorists more sodom values