Israel and Turkey have resumed formal relations after six years.
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Turkey launched a major diplomatic charm offensive on Monday, reaching out a conciliatory hand to Russian Federation and hailing a deal to restore ties with Israel as it looks to boost its neighborhood clout.
He also indicated that Erdogan would speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Wednesday or Thursday over how to rebuild ties between the two nations, which back opposite sides in the Syrian war.
The once-close allies of Turkey and Israel have reached an agreement to normalize ties after a six-year rift, after Israeli marines killed nine Turkish activists aboard a humanitarian ship attempting to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip in 2010.
Turkey’s worst nightmare in Syria has come true: Russian support has enabled its enemy President Bashar al-Assad to remain in power, while Kurdish militia fighters have benefited from U.S. support as they battle Islamic State, bolstering their position in territory adjacent to the Turkish border.
Reacting to Netanyahu’s announcement of the deal, Goldin’s family said in a statement that it “abandons Lt. Hadar Goldin and Sgt. Oron Shaul and doesn’t include the return of their bodies from Hamas captivity”.
“We have never accepted and we will never accept any conditions or impositions that will harm the rights of Palestinians”, Erdogan said.
Speaking on public TV network TRT late on Monday, Yildirim had said: “We have said that if necessary we are ready to pay compensation”.
On Monday, in a deal that has garnered praised from Gaza to America, Israel and Turkey announced intentions to thaw their diplomatic relationship, ushering in a new era of cooperation. A number of Israeli soldiers were injured in the raid.
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.
Materials entering the territory will only be allowed in through Israeli channels, and the Israeli navy will continue to blockade Gaza’s sea. Prime Minister Yildirim announced on Monday that the first Turkish ship carrying over 10,000 tons of aid will set out for the Ashdod port next Friday.
Yildirim hinted at a new approach after he took over as premier in May from Ahmet Davutoglu, who pursued an aggressive foreign policy that some analysts said brought more problems than profit.
“I mean positive, vast implications”, he said.
Netanyahu said the accord also requires Turkey “to help Israel join worldwide organizations in which Turkey is already a member”.
The deal has “immense implications for the Israeli economy – and I use that word advisedly”, Netanyahu said in Rome on Sunday.
Kerry welcomed the deal, saying, “We are obviously pleased in the administration”.
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The director-general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Dore Gold, signed the deal in Tel Aviv private broadcaster CNN Türk has reported, while Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioğlu signed the accord for the Turkish side in Ankara, according to state-run Anadolu Agency.
