Amid delay of UN report on Mavi Marmara, Turkey condemns plans for new Israeli settlements

Ankara yesterday strongly condemned Israel for continuing to construct settlements in the West Bank, criticism coinciding with the announcement that a United Nations report into last year's deadly Mavi Marmara raid would be delayed until Aug. 20. "Israel's illegal actions on the lands it has invaded are unacceptable," the Foreign Ministry said yesterday following the Israeli Cabinet's decision to announce tenders for some 300 new settlements. The tone and timing of the statement reflect the deteriorating relations between the two countries following Israel's raid in May 2010 on a Gaza-bound aid ship, resulting in the deaths of nine Turks. The third postponement of the release of the UN report on the raid was done at Israel's request, Turkish officials suggested, interpreting it as a bid to buy time to prepare the Israeli public for an apology to Turkey. The postponement of the report came amid efforts by the Israeli coalition government to bridge differences over issuing an apology. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who has favored an apology to Turkey in order to normalize relations, had reportedly been seeking the postponement to analyze legal implications of such an apology.