Sec. of State Kerry Begs Turkey to Restore Diplomatic Ties with Israel

Speaking with Turkey’s leaders on April 7, Secretary of State John Kerry begged them to restore diplomatic ties with Israel.

However, Turkish leaders said they will not do so until Israel ends “all commercial restrictions against the Palestinians.”

This position is troublesome for the U.S., which sees Israel and Turkey as “anchors of stability in a region” unsettled by the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war, and the threat’s posed by Iran’s nuclear program.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also referenced the 2010 Israeli “raid” on a flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip, in which eight Turks and a Turkish-American died. Even though Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized for the loss of life in that incident, it appears Turkey is waiting for financial compensation for the incident before moving forward.

Said Davutoglu: “There is an offense that has been committed and there needs to be accountability.”