Israel and Turkey have been holding secret direct talks in bid to end the diplomatic crisis between the two sides Israeli daily Haaretz quoted senior Israeli officials as saying.
Israel and Turkey have been holding secret direct talks in bid to end the diplomatic crisis between the two sides; Israeli daily Haaretz quoted senior Israeli officials as saying.
The report said talks were taking place between an Israeli official on behalf of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Netanyahu and Turkish Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu.
According to the daily, both Netanyahu and foreign minister's aides declined to comment if there were talks, however a source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry and a U.S. official confirmed the two sides were holding discussions.
AFP news agency, said a senior Israeli official also declined to comment on the report, but it quoted the official as saying: “Israel is interested in the restoration of healthy and positive bilateral relations, which are in the interest of both parties”.
Haaretz also reported that representatives of the two countries on the UN inquiry committee on last year's Gaza flotilla were also holding talks.
Furthermore, the United States held talks with senior Turkish officials. The talks mainly focused on foiling the flotilla to the besieged Gaza strip due later this month.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke to her Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu and expressed satisfaction with the IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation's announcement that the ship the Mavi Marmara would not take part in the flotilla this time around, officials said. 
Relations between the once-close allies hit an all-time low after Zionist occupation forces stormed the flotilla heading to Gaza on May 31, 2010, killing at least nine Turkish people. The attack prompted a bitter exchange of words and Turkey's immediate recall of its ambassador.
Last Thursday, Netanyahu called a meeting with a clutch of ministers on the Gaza flotilla and relations with Turkey. A source familiar with the debate said the main sticking point was whether Israel would apologize to Turkey or only express regret, and whether the Turkish families who will be compensated for their loved ones killed in Israel's raid last year would be able to file further suits.
