Netanyahu: Israel hopes to mend ties with Turkey, refuses to apologize

PanARMENIAN.Net - A senior source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel will endeavor to mend frayed ties with the Turkish government and people, but that it will not apologize for the deaths of 9 Turkish activists, who it says were only killed by IDF soldiers in self-defence.

The source said that Israel has adopted the United Nations report on the 2010 Gaza Flotilla with the reservations that were presented by the Israeli representative to the UN committee, Yoseph Tshachnover.

"The report is a professional, serious, and extensive document," said the senior source. "The flotilla was a blatant attempt to break through the naval siege on Gaza. The Palmer Report ratifies the legality of the naval siege and Israel's right to enforce it."

Turkey decided to downgrade its diplomatic ties with Israel to the lowest possible level, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said earlier on Friday, meaning that Israel's ambassador in Ankara would be expelled, following Israel's continued refusal to apologize for a 2010 raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla.

Additionally, Davutoglu announced the cancellation of all defense contracts between Israel and Turkey, adding that Ankara would initiaite legal action against the Gaza blockade in international courts, Haaretz reported.