BICOM

Senior Israeli officials held positive meetings yesterday with Turkish leaders in the country’s capital Ankara, taking an initial step towards thawing relations between the two countries.

Relations between Israel and Turkey broke down in 2010, following a period of close economic and military cooperation. Diplomatic ties were cut after the deaths of nine Turkish citizens who were killed whilst trying to prevent Israeli commandos taking over a Gaza-bound protest ship, the Mavi Marmara. However, last month Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paved the way for reconciliation by apologising to his Turkish counterpart for the incident.

As a result, Israel’s National Security Advisor Yaakov Amidror and former-Director General of the Foreign Ministry Joseph Ciechanover met yesterday with a Turkish delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, who said that the talks were held in “good spirits” and that there had been agreement on the main points.

It is thought that a framework was agreed with which to calculate financial compensation for families of the Turkish citizens killed in the Mavi Marmara incident. The Jerusalem Post says that once a compensation deal has been finalised, further meetings will take place towards the resumption of full diplomatic relations. Channel Two speculates that discussions were also held over Israel’s possible use of Turkish territory to aid a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

However, obstacles remain to a full restoration of Israel-Turkey ties. The families of those killed aboard the Mavi Marmara remain determined to take legal action against Israeli soldiers and officers. Meanwhile, some Turkish leaders have also called for Israel to lift restrictions on movement in and out of Gaza and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan appears intent on visiting the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, a move likely to anger both Israel and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority.