TURKEY

Turkey-Israel deal to be signed before Sept: FM

Turkish FM Cavusoglu says agreement´s approval delayed by coup attempt but parliament will finalize it as soon as possible
Turkey-Israel deal to be signed before Sept: FM
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ( Rasit Aydogan - Anadolu Agency )

Source: AA


Taking journalists' questions at Anadolu Agency's Editors' Desk on Wednesday, Cavusoglu said parliament’s approval of the pre-agreed deal was delayed due to last month’s defeated coup but that it will be done "as soon as possible."

"I think we will finalize the issue before parliament’s recess. Israel has met our terms, paving the way to normalize ties. Therefore, we must do this as soon as possible," Cavusoglu said.

Parliament, by the end of next week, will go on recess until Sept, 20, Justice and Development (AK) Party Group Deputy Chair of Mustafa Elitas said Wednesday.

Last month, Turkey and Israel agreed to normalize diplomatic relations following a six-year hiatus.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has said that Tel Aviv had met all of Ankara’s preconditions for normalizing ties, which were severed in 2010 after Israeli commandos stormed a Gaza-bound Turkish aid vessel in international waters.

The attack resulted in the death of nine Turkish activists and left another 30 injured, one of whom succumbed to his injuries nearly four years later. 

In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded an official apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed, and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade. 

In 2013, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced regret over the incident to Turkey’s then-Prime Minister (now president) Recep Tayyip Erdogan. 

Under the terms of the agreement, Turkey and Israel will exchange ambassadors and Tel Aviv will pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the 2010 flotilla attack victims. 

Israel has also agreed to Turkey’s request to maintain a humanitarian presence in the blockaded Gaza Strip.


 

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