Number 201 | June 22, 2012
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz underlined the need of restoring ties between Turkey and Israel during a speech delivered at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy on Tuesday. Expressing that Turkey is on its way to becoming a superpower in the region, Mofaz called on both nations to set their differences aside and work towards mending their strategic relationship.
When asked whether there was hope that Israel would take steps to overcome the current rift in ties, Mofaz replied by stating that relations with Turkey were of great importance to Israel and added “We need to leave the past behind and look to the future. I believe this will happen in the coming months… This is necessary for the strategic aims of both countries”.
Relations between the two nations became strained in the wake of a 2010 Israeli military raid on a Gaza bound humanitarian aid convoy in international waters, which led to the death of eight Turkish and one Turkish American activist aboard one of the ships. The deaths resulting from the attack sparked wide-spread international condemnation and led to Turkish demands of an apology and compensation for the victims.
