BICOM

Israeli daily Haaretz says that Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon is determined that the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza in summer 2014 should be returned as part of the reconciliation deal being discussed between Israel and Turkey.

Israeli envoy Joseph Ciechanover and acting National Security Advisor Jacob Nagel are thought to be meeting Turkey’s Deputy Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioglu in Geneva in an attempt to finalise a deal which would see the two countries resume diplomatic ties after a six year hiatus.

In 2010, the previously warm relationship between Israel and Turkey deteriorated and diplomatic relations were ceded after the deaths of ten Turkish citizens who were killed whilst trying to prevent Israeli commandos taking over a Gaza-bound protest ship, the Mavi Marmara. In 2013, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paved the way for reconciliation by issuing an apology. It is thought that arrangements were made in 2014 over a compensation deal for the families of those killed aboard the Mavi Marmara. Although subsequent talks resumed last year, a number of outstanding issues remain.

These are thought to include Turkey’s demand for free access to the Gaza Strip and Israel’s demand that Hamas be expelled fully from Turkey. However, Haaretz suggests that there is an extra point of contention with Ya’alon insisting that the bodies currently held by Hamas of slain soldiers, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, who were killed during Operation Protective Edge in 2014, be returned as part of an agreement. An unnamed senior official is quoted saying that Ya’alon is practically the only Israeli minister insisting on such a demand.

The Geneva talks come just weeks after Israel, Greece and Cyprus pledged to work closely together on a range of common regional issues, including energy and infrastructure. Speaking on Sunday, Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said that “If things improve with Turkey… gas could be sold to Turkey, and to Greece via Turkey.”