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Sun, July 04, 2010 | Hürriyet Daily News | Arutz Sheva

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu

Turkey’s Last Offer To Israel

A week after top Turkish and Israeli officials held a “secret meeting” over the flotilla crisis, Turkey has renewed its warning to Israel that ties between the once-allies would be cut if Jerusalem does not apologize.

Turkey has demanded that Israel offer an official apology, agree to the establishment of an international committee of inquiry, and compensate the families of those killed in the clash. In exchange, Turkish officials said, Turkey would return its ambassador to Israel, after recalling him following the clash.

“Israelis have three options: They will either apologize or acknowledge an international-impartial inquiry and its conclusion. Otherwise, our diplomatic ties will be cut off,” Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review early Sunday in an interview on his plane returning from Kyrgyzstan. “We showed them an exit road. If they apologize as a result of their own investigation’s conclusion, that would be fine for us. But of course we first have to see it,” he said. “We also want to give a chance to the countries who value mending the ties between Turkey and Israel,” Davutoğlu said, referring to the United States.

Davutoğlu held a secret meeting with Israeli Trade Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer last week in Brussels and repeated Turkey’s expectations from Jerusalem over Israel’s raid on a Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. Eight Turks and one U.S. citizen of Turkish descent were killed during the raid, which triggered a crisis between Turkey and Israel, once regional allies. Turkey recalled its envoy to Tel Aviv, canceled joint military drills and banned some Israeli military flights from using Turkish airspace.

“If steps are not taken [by Israel], the process of isolation will continue,” the minister said. “We know what we want. We are right in all means. We will strictly follow [this path] until our demands are met.” Emphasizing that Turkey was sure of its motivation and direction, Davutoğlu said: “We do not have to convince anybody about our diplomatic initiatives. If we are doing something, it’s for Turkey’s interests.”