Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Israeli government wants Turkey to close down the offices of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) on its territory for reaching an agreement on full normalization of relations between the two countries, the Haber7 newspaper reported June 21.
Israel has officially designated HAMAS as a terrorist organization.
The parties have nearly agreed on full normalization of the relations, except for the closure of HAMAS offices.
After reaching a final agreement, the ambassadors who were recalled due to the crisis in Turkish-Israeli relations in 2010 will be returned to their posts.
Earlier, Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for Turkey's presidential administration said that the talks on normalizing the relations between Turkey and Israel continue and the parties have achieved serious results.
The removal of the Gaza Strip's blockade by Israel is one of the important issues, according to Kalin.
After the deterioration of relations between Russia and Turkey, some Turkish media outlets reported that Turkey and Israel will resume the previous relations.
Earlier, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu confirmed that Turkey and Israel held private talks.
Relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one under Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel should apologize for the Freedom Flotilla incident, pay compensation to the families of those killed and end the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
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