The Turkish government has become more flexible over compensation for the deadly Mavi Marmara raid victims and offered to accept a lower payoff from Israel, according to Israeli daily Haaretz Hurriyet Daily News reported .
Israel formally apologized to Turkey in March over the killing of nine Turkish citizens on board the Gaza-bound Mavi Marmara vessel in 2010. It also agreed to redress the damages and loss of life and promised to lift an embargo imposed on the Gaza Strip.
Citing a senior Israeli official, the report said Turkey offered to resume negotiations earlier this month.
An Israeli delegation headed by National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoy to the Turkish reconciliation talks, Joseph Ciechanover, and acting Foreign Ministry Director General Nissim Ben-Sheetrit arrived Istanbul and met with senior Turkish officials.
"The agreement is ready; all that's left is to fill in the blank with a number. There are still differences regarding the amounts, but they have narrowed," the daily quoted a senior Israeli official as saying.
"There is a will on both sides to wrap things up as soon as possible and normalize relations