page_title: Israel–Turkey relations
section_title: Gaza Flotilla incident
hierarchical_section_title: Israel–Turkey relations / Diplomatic relations / After AKP ascendancy / Gaza Flotilla incident
caption_attribution_description: IDF soldiers who boarded the Mavi Marmara ship in order to enforce the maritime closure on Gaza, were met with a violent mob armed with clubs, slingshots, saws, knives, and used live fire against the IDF soldiers. Pictured here: A still taken from video footage showing the flotilla passengers hitting soldiers repeatedly with metal rods. For the video footage click here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LulDJh4fWI
context_page_description: Israeli–Turkish relations are the bilateral ties between the Israel and the Republic of Turkey. Israel–Turkey relations were formalized in March 1949, when Turkey was the first Muslim majority country to recognize the State of Israel. Both countries gave high priority to military, strategic, and diplomatic cooperation, while sharing concerns with respect to the regional instabilities in the Middle East.
context_section_description: On 31 May 2010, nine activists (eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American with dual citizenship) were killed and many more wounded by Israeli troops and seven Israeli soldiers were injured on the Mavi Marmara, part of the "Gaza Freedom Flotilla", a convoy of six ships carrying 663 people from 37 nations, including pro-Palestinian activists. Following the raid, which took place in the Mediterranean Sea in international waters, tension between the two countries mounted. One of the ships taking part was flying a Turkish flag. Turkish Prime Minister Erdoğan described the raid as "state terrorism". Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel, and summoned the Israeli ambassador to demand an explanation. The Turkish Foreign Ministry stated that the incident could lead to irreparable consequences in bilateral relations.
  On 2 September 2011, Turkey downgraded diplomatic ties with Israel and suspended military co-operation after the UN released its report of the Mavi Marmara raid. A statement from the Israeli prime minister's office said, "Israel hopes to find a way to overcome the dispute and will continue to work towards this goal". Turkey demanded an Israeli apology and compensation over 31 May 2010 incident aboard the Mavi Marmara in which eight Turkish nationals and an American man of Turkish descent died when the vessel was stormed by Israeli commandos. The Israeli government refused to give one.
  In September 2011, Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador after a UN report found that the blockade of Gaza was legal according to international law although excessive force was used when boarding the ship. Israeli officials stated that they hoped to restore ties but reiterated that they would not apologize. Hamas praised Turkey's decision.
  Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Turkey's opposition leader, condemned the downgrade in relations with Israel, stating "No good can come of it and there is no need for us to risk our interest with petty action." Faruk Logoglu, a deputy chairman of the opposition Republican People's Party, criticized Erdoğan, stating that "The probability that (Turkey's ruling) party has carried Turkey to the brink of a hot conflict is saddening and unacceptable." Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to Turkey, stated that it was unlikely that Turkish forces would penetrate Israeli waters, but speculated that Turkey might to disrupt future Israeli gas exports to Cyprus and warned of a new Turkish-Egyptian alliance that could isolate Israel in the Mediterranean.
  Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak predicted that the rift would pass in time. At the U.N. General Assembly in September 2011, U.S. President Barack Obama asked Erdoğan to resolve the crisis with Israel.
caption: IDF photo-Pro-Palestinian activists aboard the MV Mavi Marmara; nine of them were killed by the IDF.
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