Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said it is "unthinkable" for Ankara to normalize relations with Israel until it apologizes over its May 2010 raid on a Turkish ship heading for Gaza.
Speaking at the opening of a meeting of Palestinian ambassadors in Istanbul on July 23, Erdogan was reported by the AFP news agency as saying that, "as long as Israel does not apologize to Turkey, pay compensation to the families of the victims and lift its blockade on the Gaza strip, a normalization of relations is unthinkable."
Nine Turkish activists were killed in the Israeli raid on the ship last year. The Israeli government has said it is ready to "regret" the loss of life but will not apologize or pay direct compensation.
compiled from agency reports
Speaking at the opening of a meeting of Palestinian ambassadors in Istanbul on July 23, Erdogan was reported by the AFP news agency as saying that, "as long as Israel does not apologize to Turkey, pay compensation to the families of the victims and lift its blockade on the Gaza strip, a normalization of relations is unthinkable."
Nine Turkish activists were killed in the Israeli raid on the ship last year. The Israeli government has said it is ready to "regret" the loss of life but will not apologize or pay direct compensation.
compiled from agency reports
