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FM: Israel not to apologize to Turkey

Türkiye Materials 16 December 2010 12:53 (UTC +04:00)

Israel will not apologize to Turkey over the killings of nine Turks in an Israeli raid on Gaza-bound aid convoy on May 31, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said on Wednesday, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Ayalon's remarks came during a parliamentary debate on a motion on media reports that Israel would apologize to Turkey and pay compensation to the relatives of the victims.

Earlier the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made such a statement.

As a result of discussions, Israeli MPs voiced opposition to an official Israeli apology and paying compensation. On Ayalon's offer, the issue was removed from the agenda.

Attack by the Israelis on a humanitarian convoy, which killed nine Turks, has sharply worsened the relations between Turkey and Israel, who until recently closely cooperated in the military-political sphere. The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the incident has repeatedly accused Israel of conducting a policy of "state terrorism" and demanded an official apology and compensation to the families of Turks killed in the attack.

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