Turkey’s relations with Israel cannot not be normalized unless its conditions for ending the Gaza blockade and compensation for the deaths of Turkish activists in 2010 are met, a presidential spokesman said on Monday (December 28).
Relations between Turkey and Israel soured when 10 activists were killed in a raid by Israeli commandos on a Turkish boat, the Mavi Marmara, which was trying to breach the blockade.
Expectations of a breakthrough were intensified after senior officials met this month to try to repair ties.
The talks have raised hopes of progress in negotiations to import Israeli natural gas, particularly since Turkey’s relationship with major energy producer Russia has worsened over Syria.
But comments from Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin suggested Turkey may be trying to play tough in the negotiations.
Kalin said that three conditions had to be met by Israel before relations were normalized.
“The first condition has been met, Israel apologized. There is progress on a second condition which is about compensations, yet we have not reached a stage of putting signature on it. There is also the third condition of ending and relieving the Gaza blockade, and allowing humanitarian aid to arrive in Gaza. We have not given up on these conditions,” Kalin told a news conference in Ankara.
The Gaza blockade is seen as a sticking point in the talks but Kalin said that negotiations will continue.
“We are against occupation policy of Israel as we were in the past. We will continue to be opposed to them (Israel) even after any signature based on an agreement, if it is going to be signed – whenever it would be. There cannot be permanent peace in the Middle East until the Palestinian problem is solved,” he said.
Israeli officials have previously described the blockade on Gaza, which is supported by neighbouring Egypt, as a necessary means of preventing arms smuggling by Palestinian militants.
Israel allows commercial goods into Gaza through its land crossings and said that nearly 128,000 tons of material, or 3,750 truckloads, entered the enclave last week. (Reuters)
