Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated an Israeli apologize, for flotilla raid, as a condition for normalizing the relation with Turkey.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated an Israeli apologize, for flotilla raid, as a condition for normalizing the relation with Turkey.

Speaking at the “Palestinian Ambassadors’ Conference” in Istanbul, Erdogan said that Israel should compensate the families of the ten Turkish activists, who were killed in the raid last year,  and end the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
“As long as Israel does not apologize to Turkey, pay compensation to the families of the victims and lift its blockage on the Gaza strip, a normalization of relations is unthinkable”.

 

TURKEY WILL NEVER FORGET MARTYRS

The Turkish PM opened his speech by naming each of the activists martyred in the raid on the Mavi Marmara ferry on May 31, 2010.
"We have not forgotten, nor will we forget, the self-sacrifice of our brothers, their memories and the massacre they were subjected to”.

 

 

 

ISRAELI DECLARATIONS
The comments come after Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Thursday told foreign reporters that Israel is not ready to apologize to Turkey. But he added that such a decision may be debated in the Zionist entity, and that the doubt he has expressed in recent days was his own.
On Thursday, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman condemned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday for his inclination to agree to an Israeli apology to Turkey.

According to Tel Aviv officials, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has believed the UN investigation into the 2010 flotilla incident might prompt lawsuits against Israeli occupation soldiers. Therefore, he recommended Netanyahu reaching an understanding with Turkey, even if that means issuing an apology.

GAZA BLOCKADE ILLEGAL
Erdogan also condemned the continuing blockade of Gaza as "illegal and inhuman", saying the Palestinians' troubles were Turkey's troubles and would not go neglected.
"No belief can make killing innocent people legitimate," he said.
"I salute the Palestinians, and those who are dedicated to the Palestinian cause. I remember the nine martyrs who were killed by Israeli soldiers in May 2009, and I hop God will have mercy on their soul."

TWO-STATE "SOLUTION"
However, the Turkish PM considered that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would be solved through a “two-state model”.
"We must find a solution to the Israel-Palestinian issue on the basis of a two-state model. East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent, sovereign and viable Palestinian state is what we desire".