Turkey Threatens To Cut Ties With Israel

Ahmet Davutoglu (file photo)

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Turkey will cut ties with Israel unless Israel apologizes over a raid on a Turkish aid ship trying to break the Gaza blockade.

Turkey has already said it was reviewing ties with Israel over the May 31 raid, which left nine Turks dead. It wants Israel to apologize, pay compensation, and accept a United Nations inquiry.

But Davutoglu's words are the first time a senior Turkish official has explicitly threatened that Turkey will sever diplomatic relations unless its demands are met.

Israel has set up its own probe, but says it will not apologize and will not accept an international investigation.

Davutoglu met Israeli Trade and Industry Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer in Brussels last week in an effort to mend relations.

Reuters