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Israel, Turkey agree to normalize relations | The Times of Israel.

Obama, brokering dramatic reconciliation, says it’s important the two nations restore good ties so they can cooperate on regional security

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) with US President Barack Obama during a bilateral meeting last March (photo credit: AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

In a reconciliation demanded and brokered by President Barack Obama Friday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke by telephone and agreed to end three years of frozen relations.

In the first conversation between the leaders since 2009, Netanyahu made it clear that the tragic consequences of the Mavi Marmara flotilla interception in May 2010 — in which nine Turkish citizens died — were not intended and expressed sorrow for the loss of life. He also agreed to compensate family members of the victims.

Turkey and Israel were once close allies, but relations unraveled in recent years, exacerbated in 2010 by the Israeli interception of the Mavi Marmara as it sought to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The two leaders also agreed to cooperate on improving the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

The leaders agreed to return their respective ambassadors and pledged to overcome differences.

Obama said he welcomed the move and that it was important the two nations restore good relations so they can cooperate on regional security. The call came on the final day of Obama’s trip to Israel.

Last year, Erdogan accused Israel’s leaders of trying to eliminate the Palestinian population in Gaza. And the Turkish leader recently compared Zionism to Fascism at a UN meeting, prompting US Secretary of State John Kerry to object and say the remark complicated Mideast peace efforts. Erdogan said this week he had been misunderstood.

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