Turkey: Talks with “Israel” Advancing toward Final Step

Local Editor

The normalization of relations with Israel is expected to begin as negotiations between the two countries advance toward the final step, Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said April 25.

He noted that the parties had achieved serious results during the talks.

The removal of the Gaza Strip's blockade by "Israeli" regime is one of the important issues, according to Kalin.

"A new contact is being planned in the near future. After a final agreement is made on the last two articles about reparations and the blockade [on Gaza], the signing of the deal and the process for normalization of relations are expected," he continued, adding that the steps for the "improvement of humanitarian conditions in Gaza and Palestinian soil that are crucial" to Turkey are also expected to be taken rapidly in this regard.

After the deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey, some Turkish media outlets reported that Turkey and the "Israeli" apartheid entity will resume the previous relations.

Earlier, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that Turkey and the "Israeli" entity had private talks.

Meanwhile, the Turkish and "Israeli" negotiating teams, headed by the undersecretary of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioğlu; the "Israeli" prime minister's special envoy, Joseph Ciechanover; and the acting chairman of the National Security Council, Gen. Jacob Nagel, met in London on April 8, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

When the London meeting took place, the two teams decided to hold their next meeting "in a few weeks," "Israeli" diplomatic sources told the Hürriyet Daily News on April 25.

Relations between the "Israeli" apartheid regime and Turkey deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one under Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by "Israeli" forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed.

After years of bitter accusations and rhetoric, the two sides held secret talks in December 2015 on rapprochement, with another round taking place in February in Geneva.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the "Israeli" regime should apologize for the Freedom Flotilla incident, pay compensation to the families of those killed and end the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team