Turkey approves Israel Reconciliation

Israel-Turkey relations suffered a new blow when the Turkish foreign ministry condemned August 22 Israel's heavy bombardment of Gaza Strip, saying it was "disproportionate."

Israeli fighter jets and tanks attacked over 50 targets, according to local media reports in Israel, responding to one rocket that was fired from Gaza and landed in one of the settlements close to the border. The Israeli response was unusually harsh and commentators have said it is a new reaction policy initiated by the extreme right-wing politician Avigdor Lieberman, now the minister for defence.

Turkey's condemnation came just two days after its parliament approved the reconciliation agreement with Israel, ending a six-year crisis in their relations. The approval was delayed by almost a month following the failed coup attempt in Turkey.

One of Israel's main objectives in signing the agreement is to open gas negotiations with Turkish energy companies and the Turkish government. But Lieberman voted against the agreement in the Israeli cabinet. He has been a vocal critic of the president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and of Turkey and was against making any apology for the killings of nine Turkish citizens on the Mavi Marmara boat in May 2010. Israel did apologise for the killings three years ago. However, the reconciliation is still not done with. Following its approval by the Turkish parliament Israel has to transfer $25mn within 25 days to a compensation fund for the victims' families.

The Israeli foreign ministry spokesman responded to the Turkish allegations saying that "Turkey would do well to think twice before criticising the military operations of other countries."

Yesterday Ha'aretz, a Israeli daily, reported that Erdogan might visit Israel in September. This would demonstrate that relations between the two countries are returning to normal. By then the latest diplomatic and verbal flare ups between the two countries will be forgotten.

Ya'acov Zalel