Israeli PM: Relations with Turkey close to normalization

Israel is close to normalization of relations with Turkey, said Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported citing the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.

He noted that the normalization of relations is in the interests of both Turkey and Israel.

Earlier, Ibrahim Kalin, spokesperson for Turkey's presidential administration said that the talks on normalizing the relations between Turkey and Israel continue.

He noted that the parties have achieved serious results during the talks.

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 had 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.

/By Trend/