ANT KATZ with Reuters & JTA

Back on track

Israel has paid $20 million in restitution and compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims. The money was transferred Friday into the Justice Ministry of Turkey’s account, the Daily Sabah, a Turkish news service, reported.

The compensation was part of the reconciliation agreement signed over the summer between Israel and Turkey restoring diplomatic ties after a six-year freeze.

The 2010 Israeli assault of the ship

Relations between Israel and Turkey broke down in the aftermath of the Mavi Marmara incident in May 2010, when Israeli commandos killed nine Turkish citizens in clashes on a boat attempting to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip.

Under the agreement, Turkey dropped legal claims against the Israeli military and individual officers and soldiers who were part of the Mavi Marmara raid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously apologised for the deaths, which had been another Turkish condition for the resumption of diplomatic ties.

The countries will decide in the next 10 days who will serve as ambassadors, an unnamed high-ranking Turkish official told Reuters.

LEFT: The night Israel said “enough”! after the Mavi Marmara rejected all legal means to halt it

Anti-Israel forces are planning another flotilla – only this time the vessels will be exclusively manned by women.

BDS-South Africa and its affiliates have been holding fundraisers for the event. Their biggest problem will be where to sail from. European countries such as Turkey, Greece and Italy are no favourably-inclined to become involved. 

The Gaza blockade is maintained by both Israel and Egypt to ensure that no weapons reach the country. Israel has an open land access policy, but Egypt’s borders remain closed to goods traffic.