No change in Turkey's stance on Israel

ISTANBUL

Pinhas Avivi, Hürriyet photo

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has immediately replied to Israel.

"There is no change in Turkey's stance towards Israel. Israeli authorities have to take the expected steps to normalize relations instead of giving messages through the press," said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Selçuk Ünal.

Israeli Foreign Ministry adviser Pinhas Avivi has proposed a peace deal to Turkey, saying the two countries have to negotiate in order to mutually solve their issues, daily Hürriyet has reported.

Underlining the negative effects the ongoing events in Syria had on both Turkey and Israel, Avivi said the two countries should put aside their bilateral problems to focus on the Syrian issue, during a press conference earlier today in Jerusalem.

"We have to overcome our issues and focus on the future. We have both made some mistakes, but the escalated crisis between Israel and Turkey was artificial. We can sit around the table and solve our problems," he said.

Avivi said he believed that if Turkey continued its relations with Israel by putting the Gaza issue aside there would be nothing the two countries could not solve.

He added that Israel was ready to negotiate over the Mavi Marmara issue without any preconditions, and also gave signs of accepting Turkey's apology precondition. The Mavi Marmara is the Turkish aid ship that was boarded by Israeli commandos while attempting to break the blockade on Gaza. Nine activists were killed during the raid, including eight Turkish nationals.

Pinhas Avivi is the former Israeli ambassador to Ankara.