Israel and Turkey, at the behest of the United States, have reconciled. Here are the statements that came out on Friday, in sequence:
Statement by President Obama on Turkey and Israel
I welcome the call today between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Erdogan. The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both Turkey and Israel, and we attach great importance to the restoration of positive relations between them in order to advance regional peace and security. I am hopeful that today’s exchange between the two leaders will enable them to engage in deeper cooperation on this and a range of other challenges and opportunities.
PM Netanyahu Speaks with Turkish PM Erdogan
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke today (Friday, 22 March 2013), with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. PM Netanyahu told him he had just had good conversations with President Obama about regional cooperation and the importance of Israel-Turkey relations. He regretted the recent deterioration of relations between Israel and Turkey and expressed his commitment to overcoming their differences in order to advance peace and stability in the region. PM Netanyahu said he had seen PM Erdogan’s recent interview in a Danish newspaper and appreciated his words. He made clear that the tragic outcome of the Mavi Marmara incident was not intended by Israel and that Israel regrets the loss of human life and injury. In light of Israel’s investigation into the incident which pointed to a number of operational mistakes, the Prime Minister expressed Israel’s apology to the Turkish people for any mistakes that might have led to the loss of life or injury and agreed to conclude an agreement on compensation/nonliability. Prime Minister Netanyahu also noted that Israel had substantially lifted the restrictions on the entry of civilian goods into the Palestinian territories, including Gaza , and that this would continue as long as calm prevailed. The two leaders agreed to continue to work to improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories.
From Ankara:
Statements concerning the phone call between Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu as agreed upon by the two sides:
(Repeats Israeli statement)
Turkish statement: "Prime Minister Erdogan spoke today with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel. He told him of the importance he attaches to the shared history and centuries old ties of strong friendship and cooperation between the Jewish and Turkish peoples. He said the recent deterioration of the relationship between Turkey and Israel, which he sees as having vital strategic importance for the peace and stability of the region is regrettable. He reiterated Turkey’s support for all international and regional efforts to find a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Israel-Palestine conflict on the basis of the two-state vision. In light of Israel’s investigation into the Mavi Marmara incident which pointed to a number of operational mistakes, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed Israel’s apology to the Turkish people for any mistakes that might have led to the loss of life or injury. On behalf of the Turkish people, Prime Minister Erdoğan accepted this apology. They have also agreed to conclude an agreement on compensation/nonliability. Prime Minister Netanyahu also noted that Israel had substantially lifted the restrictions on the entry of civilian goods into the Palestinian territories, including Gaza, and that this would continue as long as calm prevailed. The two leaders agreed to work together to improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories.”
Reconciliation between Israel and Turkey
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
March 23, 2013
The reconciliation between Israel and Turkey is a very important development that will help advance the cause of peace and stability in the region. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Prime Minister Erdogan deserve great credit for showing the leadership necessary to make this possible.
As I discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu this evening, this will help Israel meet the many challenges it faces in the region. We look forward to an expeditious implementation of the agreement and the full normalization of relations so Israel and Turkey can work together to advance their common interests.
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