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Erdogan demands over Gaza cast doubt on Israel-Turkey rapprochement
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday said that Israel must make a written commitment to removing restrictions on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip in order for reconciliation with Turkey to be finalized.
In 2010, the previously warm relationship between Israel and Turkey deteriorated and diplomatic ties were cut after the deaths of nine Turkish citizens, killed whilst trying to prevent Israeli commandos taking over a Gaza-bound protest ship, the Mavi Marmara. However, it was widely reported that last week that a senior Turkish delegation visited Israel and had made significant progress in agreeing a compensation deal for the families of those killed aboard the Mavi Marmara, paving the way to restoring diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Earlier this week, a deal appeared to be nearing after Turkey’s Foreign Minister was quoted in popular daily Hurriyet, saying “there has recently been a momentum and new approach in compensation talks. We could say that most of the differences have been removed recently in these discussions.”
However, in a surprising turn of events, Prime Minister Erdogan yesterday appeared to temper such optimism, telling a news conference that, “The compensation talks on behalf of the victims of the Mavi Marmara, which are taking place between Ankara and Jerusalem, have not concluded … In the final stages, there will be a need to include a clause in the protocol that calls for the lifting of the siege on Gaza.” Some have interpreted Erdogan’s comments as electioneering ahead of local elections in which his AKP Party is predicted to poll poorly.
Israel restricts certain goods such as building materials from entering the Gaza Strip for fear that they will be used by Hamas to strengthen its military capability. Indeed, since the start of 2014, 33 rockets have been fired from Gaza into southern Israel, representing a significant spike in attacks. Neighbouring Egypt also restricts the entry of goods into Gaza citing security concerns over Hamas’ support for terror groups in Sinai.