Could Turkish-Israeli reconciliation eventually end Gaza siege?
The reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey has been modestly welcomed in the Gaza Strip, as Palestinians hope it will lead the way to the end of the blockade.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Israeli-Turkish agreement that was announced June 28 ended a boycott that had lasted six years between the two countries in the wake of the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara. The ship was sailing as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla along the Gazan coast when it was attacked on May 30, 2010, claiming the lives of 10 Turks and wounding many others.
As a result, Turkey cut off relations with Israel and set three conditions before it would consider reversing this decision: a public Israeli apology for the attack, compensation for the families of the Turkish victims and the lifting of the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Two of these conditions were fulfilled and Turkey waived the third, but did ask for it to be attenuated by humanitarian and economic aid for Gaza.
The agreement, which divided Palestinians into supporters, opponents and others in between, provided a ray of hope to the citizens of Gaza. Although they had hoped Turkey would succeed in lifting the Israeli blockade, they appreciated the Turkish stance that supported them in several respects, including the demands to lift the blockade. Turkey also supported the Palestinians during the Israeli wars on the Gaza Strip.
For their part, Palestinian organizations demanded efforts to lift the Israeli blockade completely.
