Israel has decided to return the Mavi Marmara and two other flotilla vessels. The Israelis had originally demanded, illegally as always, that the owners of the vessels make a binding undertaking not to mount any further aid missions to Gaza. The owners, to their credit, refused.
Israel will return the Turkish aid ships on which its troops killed nine activists in May, Israeli officials said on Friday, in what appeared to be a new bid to repair frayed ties with its former ally.
Turkey, once a rare Muslim friend of Israel, withdrew its ambassador and suspended joint military exercises after the May 31 raid on the ships taking aid to Gaza. Ankara has also demanded an apology, something Israel has resolutely refused.
While Israel lost a powerful ally in the region, Turkey also rallied outraged Arab and Muslim nations and while doing so staked its claim to a leading role in the Middle East under its AK Party government which has its roots in political Islam.
Talks to return the Mavi Marmara cruise ship and the two other flotilla vessels had been held up by Israel's demand that the owners sign undertakings not to mount new aid missions to the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.
"A decision was made yesterday to allow the ships to leave without further conditions. Turkey has been informed. They will leave soon," an Israeli official said. more
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