An important number of MEPs said that although they supported the EU-Turkey migration deal, the European Parliament could only give green light to the visa liberalisation, which is part of the deal, once all of the 72 benchmarks have been met. The meeting was the first of its kind in two years.
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A statement by the Turkish president’s press office said Erdogan approved “the procedural agreement about compensation between the Republic of Turkey and Israeli State”.
Turkish President Erdogan denounced the killing as “state terrorism” and withdrew the Turkish ambassador from Israel and later expelled Israel’s ambassador to Ankara. Turkish lawmakers ratified the deal late on August 19.
Turkish parliament approved the deal earlier this month, before adjourning for their summer recess.
“Israel will hand Turkey a “lump sum” payment within 25 working days of the agreement coming into force, with families of the victims able to access the funds in due course”, the paper reported.
Israel had already offered compensation and an apology over the raid but with the agreement it also eased the naval blockade on the Hamas-controlled Gaza, allowing Ankara to deliver humanitarian aid for Palestinians there. The raid, in which IDF commandos were attacked by activists on board, left 10 Turks dead and several soldiers wounded.
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Individual Israeli nationals also would not be held criminally or financially liable for the incident.
