Turkey signs reconciliation deal with Israel

By Nazli Yuzbasioglu

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey signed a reconciliation deal with Israel on Tuesday, according to Turkish diplomatic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The agreement was signed in the Turkish capital Ankara at 11 a.m. [GMT 0900] in a meeting which was closed to the media.

Tuesday’s agreement is set to normalize relations with Israel after a six-year hiatus.

It was signed by Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim has indicated that Turkey and Israel would re-appoint ambassadors to each other's country after the deal was approved.

Turkey and Israel reached the initial reconciliation agreement late Sunday to normalize relations more than six years after Israeli troops stormed a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were suspended after the incident, where Israeli commandos stormed the Mavi Marmara -- a Turkish ship -- in international waters.

The attack on the six civilian vessels, which had been trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, resulted in the death of nine Turkish citizens and left another 30 people injured, one of whom later died.

In the aftermath of the attack, Turkey demanded a formal apology from Israel, compensation for the families of those killed and the lifting of Israel’s Gaza blockade.

In 2013, Netanyahu voiced his regret for the attack.

On Monday, months of talks between the two countries finally bore fruit, with Turkey announcing that a deal would be signed the following day, normalizing relations with Israel.

According to the deal, Israel will pay a total of $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims.

Also, 10,000 tons of supplies will sail to Gaza from Turkey on Friday, Yildirim announced on Monday.

*Anadolu Agency correspondent Tutku Senen contributed to this report from Ankara.