US Secretary of State John Kerry is rushing to restore relations between Turkey and Israel to what they were before the Mavi Marmara raid — an incident that resulted in the deaths of nine activists. It is as if Kerry assumes that a telephone call by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to apologize to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is sufficient impetus to restore relations to their previous level. It should be realized that Turkey’s acceptance of the apology does not at all change its firm commitment to Palestinian self-determination, recognition of a Palestinian state and the removal of the Gaza blockade. Furthermore, Erdogan’s plans to visit Gaza signals that Turkey is committed to Palestinian national and human rights and to the reality of Gaza being an integral part of the Palestinian state.
This means that while the apology might have been accepted, the means by which these relations must be restored are not confined to a simple apology. The policies of Israel toward the Palestinians remain unacceptable — not only to the Arabs, but also to Turkey and many in the international community, as the UN General Assembly resolution on Nov. 29 indicated by showing firm support for Palestinian statehood. I repeat that the only serious action that might initiate fruitful negotiations — not discussions — is for the United States to ensure that Israel acknowledges firmly and unequivocally that it is an occupying power under the terms of the fourth Geneva Convention.
