Turkey's Erdogan hints normalization of ties with Israel will take time

Published January 13, 2015

Turkey's prime minister suggests relations with Israel will "normalize" only after the victims of a deadly raid of Gaza-bound flotilla are compensated and the Gaza blockade remains eased.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comments Sunday came days after the Israeli prime minister apologized for the 2010 raid that killed eight Turks and one Turkish-American. Erdogan accepted the apology and both leaders said they would begin the work of restoring full relations.

But Erdogan says: "We have said: 'an apology will be made, compensation will be paid and the blockade on Palestine will be lifted. There will be no normalization without these."

He says, "normalization will happen the moment there is an implementation."

Israel has said an easing of restrictions on civilian goods into the Palestinian territories will continue as long as calm prevails.

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