Turkey demands Israeli apology before UN report on Gaza flotilla

Ankara threatens to downgrade diplomatic ties if no apology issued for the killing of nine Turkish activists by Aug. 20 deadline • Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman continues to reject Turkey's demand. 



Turkey is threatening to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Israel if the latter refuses to apologize for last year’s Gaza flotilla killings before Aug. 20, the date set for the release of the U.N. report on the incident. Turkey says that if Israel does not apologize, not only will it not return its ambassador to Israel, but it will also further downgrade diplomatic ties to consular status only.


Nine Turkish activists were killed and several dozen were injured in violent clashes with Israel Navy commandos on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara during the attempted flotilla to the blockaded Gaza Strip on May 31, 2010. The commandos boarded the ship after warning the captain to change direction and head toward Ashdod instead.


Turkey has been demanding that Israel apologize for the deaths of its citizens, as well as compensate their families. However, it has been reported that a U.N. investigation into the incident is expected to find that the Israeli blockade of Gaza was legal, that Turkey should not have allowed the flotilla to set sail, and that Israel does not need to issue an apology.


U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has delayed publication of the report until Aug. 20 in an attempt to enable Israel and Turkey to come to an agreement about their diplomatic relations before its publication. Ban has pledged to block publication entirely if the two countries can resolve the issue on their own.


Turkey withdrew its Israeli ambassador after the incident and is threatening that if Israel does not apologize by Aug. 20, not only will it not return its ambassador, it will further downgrade ties to consular status only.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Monday that he opposes any type of apology to Turkey. In July he said, “I'm in favor of improving relations, but not at Israel's expense. Both countries are interested in improving relations, but it is Turkey's call now. Israel does not need to apologize to Turkey. Our soldiers were sent to do their job out at sea.”


On Monday, Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon called the Turkish demand for an apology “chutzpah,” while Intelligence and Atomic Energy Minister Dan Meridor said that relations between the countries could be mended if both sides dealt with the issues intelligently.


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Forum of Eight senior ministers has been discussing the Turkish demand for an apology for several weeks. On Sunday, the forum met once again to discuss the issue, but no agreement was reached.