Representatives of the Hasidic Jewish community living in the U.S today awarded the Turkish President Abdullah Gul honorary diploma for "contribution to peace", TRT Russian website reports. Turkish President is on visit to New York within participation at the 65th UN General Assembly.
The Turkish president was awarded during the tense period in the Turkish-Israeli relations, after the Israeli military intercepted humanitarian ship Mavi Marmara, en route to blockaded Gaza Strip, as a result of which nine Turkish activists were killed.
Ankara has demanded from Israel official apology and paying compensation to the victims' families, but Israel refused. UN special international commission and Israeli commission under Jacob Turkel's patronage investigate the incident.
Turkish website wrote that Hasidic Jews living in the U.S. could hold a conversation with President Gul.
The Hasidaeans are followers of the Jewish religious movement of Hasidism, which originated in the 18 century and is characterized by a tendency to mysticism and religious exaltation.
The day before the Turkish and Israeli media outlets reported that President Gul refused to meet with the Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres in the General Assembly. Israeli media outlets reported that the Turkish president demanded Peres to apologize for the attack on the Freedom Flotilla and then to hold a bilateral meeting, but he refused.