21/07/2010 13:47
Israel lifts a travel warning to Turkey imposed after May 31 raid
Israel has lifted a travel warning to its people to avoid traveling to Turkey that was imposed after the May 31 raid on the international aid flotilla of mostly Turkish pro-Palestinian activists, of which 9 were killed.
“In the light of the calm in Turkey and the absence of large-scale anti-Israeli demonstrations, Israel is lifting its travel warning,” said in the Israeli statement, issued Tuesday.
On May 31, the Israeli commandos killed nine activists who were part of a flotilla that was trying to break an Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip to deliver aid directly to Palestinians. Eight of the activists were Turks and one more was an American of Turkish origin.
After the deadly raid, the relations between Turkey and Israel deteriorated; Turkey recalled its Ambassador from Israel, demanded on international investigation into the raid and compensation for damages and deaths, and said that Israel must offer its sorry for the attack; numerous demonstrations swept across Turkey; Turkey's government harshly criticized Israel.
All these marked the deterioration of relations between the two former close allies. However, lifting the travel warning is the first sign that relations between Israel and Turkey could be warming, some sources reported.