Approval of Ankara-Tel Aviv Reconciliation in Turkish Parliament 'On the Eve of Erdogan's Visit to Tehran'

The legal bill presented by the Turkish government for a complete reconciliation between Turkey and Israel was officially approved by the Turkish Parliament on Saturday, August 30. Last month, the Turkish government had approved a preliminary reconciliation agreement with Israel and sent the bill to formalize this decision to the Ankara Parliament. According to reports, under today's parliamentary resolution, Israel will pay twenty million dollars to the families of those killed and injured in the Israeli army's attack on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara within the next 25 days. Turkey also pledged to refrain from any legal action against the Israeli military personnel involved in the Mavi Marmara incident and to close the cases opened in the past six years in its courts. The reconciliation legal bill states that ambassadors from both countries will be dispatched to Ankara and Tel Aviv within a month. Israel had approved the reconciliation agreement with Turkey in its government and parliament last month. On May 31, 2010, the Israeli Navy attacked the Mavi Marmara ship, killing ten Turkish citizens and injuring dozens more while expelling other passengers from the ship. The Turkish ship was attempting to reach Gaza to support the Palestinians trapped there. Six years ago, Turkey took steps to escalate its relations with Israel, declaring this the first attack on its citizens since World War I. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced two months ago a readiness for complete reconciliation with Israel, describing it as being in Turkey's interests. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported on Saturday that officials in the country believe that all the problems that have arisen between the two countries will not be resolved soon and that the revived relations will remain 'cold.' The website Ynet reported that Israel views reconciliation with Turkey as a step towards 'improving its strategic position in the Middle East' and aiding in the 'fight against terrorism.' Recently, Turkey has also ended its crisis in relations with Russia, with Erdogan meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow last week. Israeli and Turkish media have reported that Erdogan will visit Iran in the coming days shortly after the complete reconciliation with Israel. The foreign ministers of Iran and Turkey have met in Tehran and Ankara in recent days. Turkey is reconciling with Israel and Russia while its relations with Cairo remain critical. Since the summer of three years ago, following the ousting of the Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt, Turkey has been a staunch critic of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's government. Meanwhile, Turkey has also been involved with several Western countries following the failed coup attempt on July 15 in the country. Turkish officials express dissatisfaction with the U.S. government over repeated demands for the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, a Turkish cleric residing in Pennsylvania.