BICOM

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is reported to want to conclude a proposed reconciliation agreement between Turkey and Israel as soon as possible.

According to a report in Haaretz, US Vice President Joe Biden relayed such a message to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit to the region this week. Biden also is said to have offered to act as a go-between for the two countries, in order to finalise a deal.

In 2010, the previously warm relationship between Israel and Turkey deteriorated and diplomatic relations were ceded after the deaths of ten Turkish citizens who were killed whilst trying to prevent Israeli commandos taking over a Gaza-bound protest ship, the Mavi Marmara. In 2013, Netanyahu paved the way for reconciliation by issuing an apology. Although it is thought that arrangements were made over a compensation deal for the families of those killed aboard the Mavi Marmara, a number of outstanding issues remain.

Negotiators are thought to have been meeting during the past several weeks in Geneva, to discuss the points of contention, which are thought to include Turkey’s demand for free access to the Gaza Strip and Israel’s demand that Hamas be expelled fully from Turkey. Haaretz says that Netanyahu expressed enthusiasm to conclude an agreement, but told Biden that “we too have red lines.” Earlier this month, Israel’s Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon said, “I am not sure if we can arrive to an agreement,” if Turkey continues to back the likes of Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Meanwhile, Biden is said to be enthusiastic for an Israel-Turkey reconciliation, in part because he believes that cooperation over natural gas resources can help lead to regional stability. He said during a press conference with Netanyahu this week, “Little old Israel is about to become the epicentre of energy in this entire region, and can have a profound, profound positive impact on relationships from Egypt to Turkey to Cyprus to Greece to Jordan.”