Israel offers compensation deal to mend ties with Turkey, report says

[Jigs]

Thursday, December 9, 2010
ISTANBUL — Daily News with wires


Israel has proposed to express "regret" and pay compensation for the deaths of nine activists aboard a Gaza-bound aid ship if Turkey assures Tel Aviv that the Israeli navy will not be held legally liable, Reuters news agency reported citing unnamed sources Thursday.

Israeli commandos raided a Gaza-bound aid ship on May 31, killing eight Turks and one American of Turkish descent. The incident led Turkish-Israeli relations to an all-time low, and Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel.

"We made a compensation offer, and asked the Turks to do what needs to be done to address our legal concerns. We also want to see them return their ambassador and allow us to appoint a new ambassador to Ankara," Reuters cited an unidentified Israeli official as saying. "For now, however, there are still big obstacles."

According to the Reuters report, the Israeli draft fell short of Ankara's expectations that Tel Aviv formally apologize. Delegates from both countries met in Geneva over the weekend to discuss repairing their strained ties.

The draft offers $100,000 each to families of the men shot dead by Israeli forces and an Israeli expression of "regret," Reuters cited Israeli diplomatic sources as saying

 

[TechLahore]

$900K for killing 9 people? No "apology" just regret? AND a promise to not hold the Israeli Navy legally liable?

This is obviously Turkey's call and they know their own interests best, but it doesn't sound like Israel has truly reflected on this tragedy and grasped the enormity of its actions.

 

[Yeti]

Turkey wants a 'public' apology I doubt they will accept this the public domestic pressure would be too great but I do not see Israel saying sorry also too much pride both ways it seems.

 

[KS]

@TL ;

Uncle Sam at work buddy. You think Israel will on its own volition go and do what it is now doing. ?

 

[TechLahore]

Don't really give a damn what pressure Israel is feeling. I just think the resolution being proposed is ridiculous. As I said earlier, it's Turkey's decision and I will go so far as to say that I will understand/support whatever decision they make.

 

[Yeti]

Official Israeli view is that it was the members of the flotilla which attacked the jewish soldiers first they even brought out a video showing it I think a few days after the incident.

Netanyahu said today he was confident the commission would blunt the international criticism and prove Israel handled the affair responsibly.

"I am convinced that the commission's uncovering of the facts will prove that the goals and actions of the state of Israel and the Israeli military were appropriate defensive actions in accordance with the highest international standards," he said.

But Turkey's foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, reiterated his demands for a United Nations investigation. He said: "We have no trust at all that Israel, a country that has carried out such an attack on a civilian convoy in international waters, will conduct an impartial investigation. To have a defendant acting simultaneously as both prosecutor and judge is not compatible with any principle of law."


They are totally on a diffrent page on what actually happened and who is right or wrong in the matter but the Turkish goverment have sent help for the forest fire in Israel which is a good starting point to mend ties.

 

[Jigs]

Well that would kinda be meeting our demands idk exactly how the regert part would work. If we agree to take that as a apology then it cover our demands on this matter and we could move forward.

 

[Jigs]

Official Israeli view is that it was the members of the flotilla which attacked the jewish soldiers first they even brought out a video showing it I think a few days after the incident.

Netanyahu said today he was confident the commission would blunt the international criticism and prove Israel handled the affair responsibly.

"I am convinced that the commission's uncovering of the facts will prove that the goals and actions of the state of Israel and the Israeli military were appropriate defensive actions in accordance with the highest international standards," he said.

But Turkey's foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, reiterated his demands for a United Nations investigation. He said: "We have no trust at all that Israel, a country that has carried out such an attack on a civilian convoy in international waters, will conduct an impartial investigation. To have a defendant acting simultaneously as both prosecutor and judge is not compatible with any principle of law."


They are totally on a diffrent page on what actually happened and who is right or wrong in the matter but the Turkish goverment have sent help for the forest fire in Israel which is a good starting point to mend ties.

None of this is really the point. We have 2 demands in place to which if met ties will move forward. Israel seems to be trying to do that. Plus if you want to discuss what actually happened you can read the U.N. ruling on the matter.

 

[KS]

Don't really give a damn what pressure Israel is feeling. I just think the resolution being proposed is ridiculous. As I said earlier, it's Turkey's decision and I will go so far as to say that I will understand/support whatever decision they make.

Well that would kinda be meeting our demands idk exactly how the regert part would work. If we agree to take that as a apology then it cover our demands on this matter and we could move forward.

My gut feeling -- US forced Israel to come out with a regret and at the same time twisted Turkey's hands to accept the 'regret' as a formal 'apology' with a stern 'Move on dudes' message

 

[Yeti]

None of this is really the point. We have 2 demands in place to which if met ties will move forward. Israel seems to be trying to do that. Plus if you want to discuss what actually happened you can read the U.N. ruling on the matter.

But a public apology could may well result in a loss of face for Israel considering Netanyahu is part of the right wing Likud party even if he wanted to say 'sorry' could the domestic situation let him? what would be the repercussions afterwards also.

 

[Jigs]

My gut feeling -- US forced Israel to come out with a regret and at the same time twisted Turkey's hands to accept the 'regret' as a formal 'apology'.

It doesn't really matter who did what. If it is meeting our demands that works. If not then relations won't improve. It is up to the administration to see if "regert" can be accepted as a apology or not.

 

[Jigs]

But a public apology could may well result in a loss of face for Israel considering Netanyahu is part of the right wing Likud party even if he wanted to say 'sorry' could the domestic situation let him? what would be the repercussions afterwards also.

That is something he has to weigh and deal with. We have no say in that matter we only put forth the demands to be met.

 

[TrMhMt]

is this a joke?

I can imagine now !! Tomorrow all of headlines of Newspapers and flash news of channels will be " Great Success Of AKP !!! Israel is knelled ... blaaahhh bllaaahhh"

what a pathetic ?? ...............

 

[Killuminati]

is this a joke?

I can imagine now !! Tomorrow all of headlines of Newspapers and flash news of channels will be " Great Success Of AKP !!! Israel is knelled ... blaaahhh bllaaahhh"

what a pathetic ?? ...............

AKP the merciful = more votes?

But anyway no matter what we must help always people in emergency. Problem is the two faces politics of AKP.

 

[ovarel]

Our demands are clear.They must apologize to Turkish Republic.Lets see whats gonna happen.